The Deal: The Rider Returns
by Foxcomm
Summary: There is a legend about a demon that rode the winds leaving a trail of fire. Sent to collect the souls of the guity, evil, and those that made a deal. His name was Naruto of Konoha, the Ghostrider. Ghostrider crossover
1. Chapter 1

_**They say that the world was made by myths and legends. And that they are a way for a person to understand something that is beyond them. Legends like how the nine most destructive things in the world were animals that became demons. The Nine Bijuu were born by the devil giving them their power for the purpose to hunt the souls that are owed to him, regardless of who or what gets in the way.**_

Minato looked at the Kyuubi as it tore through the forest for Konoha. Everyone knew that the Bijuu weren't mindless beast. So why was it here? "Forgive me, Naruto." Holding his son, he summoned Gamabunta and and all three charged the Nine Tailed Fox.

_**Then one day, all nine beast vanished. Few knew what actually became of them and they once again became legends. Ones everyone knew was real but no longer cared.**_

Three year old Naruto flipped from branch to branch, fully enjoying his increased reflexes. Though he was young, he knew a lot about the world. He didn't know why but he much preferred the forest to the city. First thought that came to mind though was how no one cared for him there as well as the drunks that called him names. And always being forced to hide on his birthday. He remembered everything just about in his life and it kind of disturbed him as no one else his age could.

_**But the devil's work isn't done, and with his bounty hunters sealed away, he needed a new one. A much different legend, far older than even the Bijuu talk about a rider. How he faced down all those that had sins against them and turned them on them. A being that though he walked in the world of light, fought with all the powers of Darkness.**_

Naruto dropped back to the ground, his breath coming in pants from his work out. "...Inu-san, how much longer," he asked his ANBU guard. That was another thing he didn't understand or like even. Always having a guard.

The silver haired ANBU replied, "You can play out here for another ten minutes, Naruto. Then we have to head back."

The three year old sighed before running at a tree and up it, hopping from branch to branch. He continued up until he reached the top and looked out over the sea of trees. He really wished he could just stay out here. With the animals instead of humans, everything was so much simpler. No one hated you, no one cared except family. You are just another living being to them. If you were weaker and lower in the food chain, they killed you only to eat. If you tried to take their territory, they defended themselves. But they don't go out of their way to hurt you. Well, except house cats. Naruto smiled, 'and me and chickens. Kami, I love how they taste.' He shook his head, getting away from the taste of their blood...

"I just wish I can stay here. Or that things were better in Konoha."

_**Over time, the sins of man will build up without those to remind them the penalty casting their shadow on the world. And it will only be a matter of time until both the Devil and Kami wants something done about it.**_

"I think I can help you with that," a voice said behind Naruto, making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

Naruto turned and saw an old man with a cane leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Where did you come from?"

He smiled as Naruto. "Ah, you are a very special boy, Naruto, very special. The enhanced senses of animals are yours. Total recall. Even a bit of a sixth sense. But as special as you are, you are still only a boy. That is how I got close to you without you noticing."

"How did you know my name," Naruto asked him.

"Ah, that matters not. What matters is what you want."

"And that is?"

He chuckled a little. "You want things better, like you just said. But what you want most, what you would even sell your soul for, it to just be held and protected by the mother you never knew."

Naruto nearly fell of the branch when he said that. "Who are you, how do you know so much about me?"

"Now that is a secret, Naruto. But I will tell you something. Why you are not liked in your home and are like you are. You are possessed, of sorts, by the spirit of a fox. A very special fox. And his natural abilities are extended onto you. As well as some of his likes and dislikes. Now, I purpose a deal."

"What happened to my mom?"

"She was taken by a criminal name Orochimaru the night the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. Just hours after you were born."

"How do I get her back!?"

"Oh, I can take care of that, Naruto. It will be like she never left and you were never hated. For a price."

"Anything, just get her back."

"Alright, I thing I will take...you." Naruto looked confused. "I will return your mother to you and remove the hatred your village feels for you in exchange for your soul."

"My...soul?"

"That's right. All things have a price, Naruto, this is your's. There will be a time when I come for you and you will pay me back."

Naruto thought about it. He could only figure that he meant that anything he asked for in the future, Naruto was to do or give. "...I could care less about being like or hated so long as my mom is free of him."

The man smiled again, "Done. Just sign this," he said, giving Naruto a contract. He checked his pockets for a pen or pencil but didn't find one. So Naruto bit his thumb with his canine until it bled and signed his name in blood at the bottom. "Well done, Naruto, well done," he said, taking it back. He lifted his cane and hit the end of it against the branch, gaining a spark from it. He stepped forward and rested his hand on Naruto's shoulder. It hurt a little as he felt something go into him. "Just a little gift," he said before letting go.

Naruto blinked as his body relaxed, not believing it, he had vanished. He looked around the tree and at others but didn't see him. "Naruto," Inu called from below. "We need to head back."

"...Okay." He dropped, catching branches as he went to control his descent before landing on Inu's shoulders. "Lets go!" The ANBU captain chuckled before he started running at top speed back to Konoha and Naruto's home. A few blocks from it, they stopped and Naruto got down and walked. After several minutes, he noticed no one glared at him. He was so amazed that he didn't watch where he was going and bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said, moving back and waiting for the insults.

His eyes went wide when the woman patted him on the head and said, "It is quite alright, Naruto. Just be careful from now on." She then continued on her way. "Oh, and tell your mom I said hello."

Naruto's eyes could have fallen out of his head. He turned to Inu, who was walking beside him, grabbed his hand, and said, "Hurry up, I want to get home!"

Inu shook his head and said, "Naruto, it's not like it won't be there unless you hurry."

"I want to go, I want to go!"

"Oh alright," he said with another chuckle. "Since you are in a hurry, I'll use a shushin." Still holding onto Naruto's hand, they disappeared in a swirl of leaves to reappear at a two story home three blocks away. "Now go on it there, you little imp!"

Naruto needed no encouraging. He ran in, "Mom!? Mom!?" He looked around but didn't see her. His shoulder's slumped and he felt broken hearted before two gentle hands wrapped around him.

"What's wrong, Naruto," Kushina asked, hugging her son.

He spun around in her grasp and hugged her for all he was worth. "MOM! I missed you!" He knew it was her by one of his first memories, being held by a red hair woman, just once.

"You were only gone for two hours," she told him. "...I missed you too, Naruto." She didn't know why her son was acting like this but she didn't care. If he missed her, then he did. And there was no way she would tell him not to. Something inside her told her never to do that. "Did you enjoy your time outside?"

Naruto nodded into her leg, wiping a few tears on her dress. "It was the best ever," he told her. "But I really missed you, mommy."

"Well, you don't have to worry, I am right here and I'm never going anywhere." That just got him crying harder for some reason. He refused to let go of her until he fell asleep, not even for dinner.

—oo000oo—

Naruto grinned as he ran with a chain in his hand. He had found it while running around today and had used it to trip a bully. He really had a reason to run after that. The bully decided to chase him, so Naruto ran him ragged all over Konoha. He looked behind him and saw the bully huffy and puffing and he leaned against a building. "Ah, don't give up yet, you almost got me!"

"I swear... I am going... to beat the... daylights out of... you," he said to Naruto as he tried to chase him again. Naruto sidestepped him and tripped him with his foot. "No one makes a fool out of me!"

"But you," Naruto stated. He wrapped the chain around his chest, over his right shoulder. "Nener nener," he said, giving him a raspberry. He ran off laughing after that. Several minutes later, Naruto came across some kind of parade. "Hey, what's going on?"

"The ambassador from Kumo has arrived," a man told Naruto. "He is here to sign a treaty with us."

"Oh," Naruto said before looking around. He saw a tree and ran over to it. When he couldn't reach the branch, he swung his chain around a little and threw it. It caught a lower branch and Naruto gave a cry of victory as he climbed up and sat on it. Naruto saw a man on a horse. He had his headband over his right eye and a goatee on his chin. He was waving and smiling. But Naruto didn't notice what he looked like for long, he suddenly felt very cold and needed to get away from there. He ran all the way home, trying to get that chill from his body.

—oo000oo—

Naruto woke up the next day, his head hurting and shaking from the worst nightmare he ever had. Last night, he became a monster. He remembered it so vividly that it scared him.

_Naruto got out of his bed, struggling to stay there. His body was moving on its own. He opened the window and jumped out of it. As he hit the ground, he started running. As he ran, his skin felt like it was on fire. The scary thing is he kept moving faster than he ever thought he could. When he came to the district he used to live in before he made the deal, he slowed down. He was still struggling to stop but he kept moving. Suddenly, that fire in his skin became fire on it as his footsteps turned to fire. His pain increased near a hundred fold as he watched the flesh from his hand melt away. In moments, where he once stood, a flaming skeleton was now._

_Naruto watched somewhat distantly as he saw his burning hand point at a masked ninja that was standing only feet away, scared beyond belief. **"You,"** Naruto's voice sounded much deeper, it scared him even more than he already was with the underlying darkness. **"Guilty."**_

_He snapped out of it and his hands started going through handsigns. He spun around in place, becoming first a ball of lightning, then a lightning dragon. It hit Naruto and sent him through the wall of an abandoned building. "Guess that demon was all talk," Naruto heard him say. Naruto grabbed the chain he had around his chest and snapped it taunt. Fire erupted around it as Naruto then wrapped it around his hand and made a fist. He ran forward and punched him in the face. The ninja flew into the wall and fell to the ground. He shook his head, knowing that punch should have killed him. He looked at Naruto and said, "What do you want?"_

"_**I am here for your contract. I am here for the blood of the innocent that stains your soul!"** Naruto reached a hand out and stabbed him in the chest. The man screamed soundlessly as he felt something get drawn from all around his body to Naruto's hand. It turned solid and Naruto grabbed it and pulled it out, revealing a scroll. He unrolled it and read the words at the top. **"For power and position, I, Kazama Samo, ninja of the Hidden Cloud Village, sell my soul to the devil. To be collected in ten years on the date of December twenty seventh."** Today's date and the birthday of the heiress of the Hyuuga clan.** "Thanks for coming to me, saved me the trouble of hunting you down."** Naruto turned around, knowing what the man's latest sin was. He came here to kidnap the heir of the Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hinata. He paused and decided that it would be better for the man not to leave a corpse. Turning around, he created a ball of fire in his hands and threw it at the body. It burned, leaving a horrible smell but Naruto didn't care. He ran away from there and went to the grave yard._

"_**It is done," **he said to the shadows. He held out the contract and someone grabbed it. It was the man that made the deal with Naruto._

"_My, this is a surprise. Your abilities weren't supposed to wake up for years," he said as he looked at it and then him. "It must be that fox inside you." He walked around Naruto, looking at the chibi nightmare. "Kind of funny, really."_

"_**I have no patience for this."**_

"_No, I guess you don't. Naruto, I know you are in there and listening to this, if distantly. This is my price, you are now my rider, my Ghostrider. Humanity has become complacent in thinking that their actions can just go unpunished. People steal, cheat, and murder with no restraint. In time, I will come for you to be my rider and for you to collect souls like the one you just did. Or to fight my enemies on this plane. Do you still think the it was worth it?"_

"_**Yes."**_

_He smiled at Naruto. "Then I have another gift for you. The fox inside you will make it so that you can use these powers when you need to. I am making it so you can use them at will and with your will instead of the Ghostrider. Grow familiar with these powers, Naruto, but never tell where you got them. Call them... a special ability that you can't explain. If anyone press about it, just say a fox in your dreams gave them to you, that he wanted you stronger. I have high hopes for you, Naruto. Very high hopes." _

_He walked around him a few more times. "You will of course need something to ride if you are to be the Ghost_rider. _So call this a late birthday gift." He hit the ground with his cane and fire gathered there. It took on the shape of a cat made of fire. The fire went away but a tiger kitten was still there. The man then reached a hand out to Naruto's forehead and flicked him._

After that, the dream ended. As all of the details fully came back, he wondered if it really was a dream. Looking, he saw his chain, neatly coiled up where he left it last night before he went to sleep. His window was closed. His skin was there. He was about to walk out of the room when he heard a meow. He slowly looked around and he saw this cute little black with gray stripes tiger kitten lying on his bed. His eye twitched a few times as it hit him. That was no dream. He rubbed the back of his head as he thought about it. "This is going to be hard to explain to mom." The kitten nodded before his tummy growled. Naruto groaned before his stomach growled even louder.

"...Uh, food first, then figure it out!" He picked the kitten up and ran to the kitchen. When he got there, he had a sudden flash of brilliance. "Mom, can I keep him!?"

"Keep who... Naruto, put down that tiger!"

"But he needs me!"

She walked over to him, keeping a careful eye on the cat and took him from Naruto. It began to whine about being taken away. "He does not need you," she told Naruto. "Where did you even find him!?"

"He was on my bed this morning. Give him back!"

"Naruto, no! You sit down at the table and eat your breakfast! I am going to deal with this 'kitty'."

"His name is Tora," Naruto said to his mother. "Can't I keep him, please!?"

"No, and that is final! I am calling the Inuzuka right now and they can keep him!" She went to the window and called the ANBU that would watch her son today. "I need someone to get one of the Inuzuka over here now. Someone left a tiger kitten on Naruto's bed."

"His name is Tora," Naruto called from the kitchen.

"You are not keeping him, young man," Kushina called back. "Please, this tiger is causing far too much trouble for this early in the morning." She held the kitten by the scruff of the neck.

The ANBU with the tiger mask scratched his head, wondering where someone would get a tiger around here. And why they would just give it to a three year old boy. "I will go get one right now." He shushined and arrived at the Inuzuka compound. "Good morning, Hana-chan."

"Good morning, Tora," she said to him as she played with her puppies. "Mom is in the kitchen, feeding Kiba."

"Thank you." He went inside and found her there, _trying_ to feed a baby stained carrot baby food. Trying the key word as she was failing the feeding part but was nicely decorating his face with it.

"Tora, what are you doing here, I thought you had guard duty."

"I do, but someone left an animal for Naruto on his bed. And Kushina won't let him keep it."

"Ah," she said, wiping her hands as she stood up. She grabbed a wipe and cleaned her baby's face clean. "Never changes," she muttered, having to go through the same thing with Hana. In fact, she did it as well. They just preferred meat to veggies. "Hana, can you come here?"

Hana ran inside with her three dogs following. "Yes mom?"

"I need you to go get your uncle and tell him there is a wild animal pup at the Uzumaki home. He needs to go get it."

"Really," Hana asked. "What kind?"

"A tiger."

"COOL!"

"Kushina doesn't think so," Tora muttered, already liking the little tiger.

"I'm sure it is just the thought of fleas," Hana said, patting Tora's arm in comfort. She ran off to get her uncle and go with him.

"Thank you, Tsume-san," Tora told her.

"No problem," she said with a wave. "But where did it come from?"

"Don't know, because of the ambassador going missing early last night, there was no one watching Naruto."

"So someone snuck in and gave him a tiger? Where is the sense in that?"

"I don't know," he said before he shushined back. When he did, he saw Kushina slightly scratched up, Naruto holding the tiger, and feeding him torn up bits of bacon. "Wha..."

"Don't ask," she said forcefully. "Just don't. Is one coming?"

"Yes, Tsume's brother."

"Good."

Actually, it wasn't. First, Naruto refused to let the tiger go. Then the cat started whining about being forced from him. And as he was about to be taken from the house, the kitten got mad. "OW! OUCH! STOP THAT! MY NOSE! AH! AAAGH!" It was finished when the kitten swiped his hand, making him drop him. He hit the ground on all four legs, running, and jumped back into Naruto's arms.

"Naruto, that cat is dangerous!"

"Is not," Naruto insisted. Kushina pointed at the bleeding Inuzuka. "...He started it! And who is going to force him to leave!?"

Kushina froze at that one. She looked from at her bleeding hands to Inuzuka Ranmaru as he pressed his hands over the worst of the wounds and glared at the cat, and then at Tora. "Not me," Tora said. "Don't give me that look, I'm not touching that cat!"

"He's so cute," Hana said. Kushina turned around and saw her rubbing the cats stomach. "What did you name him," she asked Naruto.

"Tora," he replied.

"You are not keeping him," Kushina told him again.

"Mom," Naruto groaned. "Can't we keep him, please! I promise I'll take real good care of him!"

"Naruto, do you know how big a tiger gets!?"

"Over eight feet long, around six hundred pounds," he replied matter of factly.

"Do you know how much they eat!?"

"...Uh, no?"

"We are not keeping him."

"Please?"

"NO! Don't you dare, Naruto. Don't you dare!" He stuck out his lower lip in a pout while his eyes started to water a little. It got even worst when Tora, the tiger, did it as well. "RAGH! You take care of him! You feed him, bath him, clean up after him!"

"I will!" He looked down at Tora sternly and shook his finger at him. "Now you have to behave, Tora. No, clawing, no making...a mess." Tora was batting at the moving finger. Naruto stopped talking and hugged the cat.

Tora, the ANBU, watched it all and realized something. Kushina ruled the house. Naruto had Kushina like putty in his hands. And Tora had Naruto like putty in his paws. This house was going to work solely for the comfort and well being of the cat. "Well, since you have him, we better go get him his shots. I'll take care of them, Kushina-san. You and Ranmaru should go get those looked at. Naruto, Hana, we're going."

—oo000oo—

Naruto woke up this morning not being able to breath. "Tora," he wheezed. "Tora! Get off me you over grown house cat!" His only reply was purring from the two hundred pound cat. Naruto started pushing Tora up and was finally able to breath again. Before Tora rolled over and onto Naruto's stomach. The air was pushed out of him when he landed. "I told you before stay on your side of the bed!" Naruto sat up a little and grabbed Tora around his chest. He heaved and was able to pull him off. He laid back down and caught his breath. To realize Tora was now on his arm. "Tora?" The cat opened his eyes and licked Naruto's face. "I love you too. Now get off my arm." Tora sat on his haunches, making the steel reinforced bed groan. "Thank you."

Naruto got up and stumbled over to his closet. He was twelve and today was his genin test. He remembered being told by the Hokage before the deal that he would be entered early as he didn't have a family. Now that he did, he went at the same time as others. He reached into his closest and grabbed a black shirt. He then reached for his black leather coat, pants, and boots. He wasn't an emo, like Sasuke. No, the black was to hide better. The leather was to provide some protection. If you listened really carefully, you could hear chain mail inside the coat. He went to the bathroom, showered and came back into his room, dressed for class. He grabbed him gloves, also black leather, and his chain. This one was much different from the one he picked up when he was three. It was made of a chakra conductive alloy so he could control where it went with just his chakra. He wrapped it around his chest and headed downstairs. He then grabbed his other weapon, it looked like the blade of a scythe with a sword handle at the end, and put it between his chain and coat.

"Good morning mom," he said as he walked over and gave her a kiss.

"Good morning Naruto. Good morning Tora," she scratched the tiger behind the ears, getting a purr for it. "You two going to pass today?"

"Of course," Naruto said as he began to cook his breakfast and Tora's. "Do you have a mission today, mom?"

"No, none of the academy student's parents have one. Feeling well?"

"I am. Oh, and thanks for getting him to lay on me."

"I would never do that," Kushina said with a smile that shouted that she did. She stood up from the table and gave him a hug. "Hey, no matter if you pass or not, I am proud of you."

"I know mom... But since we are doing it anyway, might as well not only pass but take the whole thing!"

Kushina laughed and gave him a kiss on the head. "Go get them, tiger." Her son reminded her of his father so much. 'Minato, you would have been proud of him.' Behind them, Tora poked his head over the table and ate Kushina's sausage.

After Naruto ate breakfast, he and Tora walked outside. He set Tora's saddle on him and got on. "YAH!" The tiger started running. "Incoming!" This was daily routine, Tora would come running, he would shout, they would start to part even before he did. "Hey..." Naruto said, seeing a snack for later. As he passed a pear stand, he grabbed two and left a few ryu for them. "Thank you!" Tora turned on a dime before jumping up onto a building. He jumped across a street and then back down to it. "Good morning, Ino," he shouted as he headed for her. "Want a ride!?" As he ran by, he grabbed her arm and swung her behind him.

"Good morning Naruto," she said to him. "Ready for the test?"

"You know it! Jump," he warned her. Tora jumped over a cart and a few students. "What about you?"

"Of course," she boasted. She saw Naruto lean down so she did as well. A branch went over their head. "Anything new going on?"

"No, same shit, different day. Although I've really gotten stronger with fire now." He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. A flame was on the end of his index finger. "Hey, Kiba," he said as they ran pass him.

"Yo, Naruto," he called.

Tora jumped a final time and slid through the academy yard to the door. They got off and Naruto scratched Tora's ears. "Good luck with the test. I know you don't need it but still."

"You too, Naruto." As they went inside the class room, Naruto tossed the second pear to Iruka-sensei who caught it without looking.

"Morning," Iruka said to him.

"...Good morning Mizuki-sensei."

"Good morning Naruto," Mizuki said to him. Naruto knew he was on his way to being evil but he neither was evil enough nor had a contract. Unlike Rokusho Aoi. That brought a smile to his face as he remembered it. And bringing back the sword of the Nindaime had paid Naruto enough money to feed Tora for a year if he ate like a normal tiger. Plus, he enjoyed giving that asshole the Penance Stare.

"Uchiha," he said with a slight nod.

"Uzumaki," he replied, seething. It was no small fact that Sasuke didn't like that he was second in the class. So he, naturally, didn't like who was first.

"...Think you will take my place today?"

"Damn right I will," Sasuke shouted. "I don't care what I have to do, I will not be second to you!"

"Maybe you should try selling your soul to the devil. That would work...for the short time until your contract is claimed."

"No," Sasuke growled. Naruto raised him up a peg at that. "I would though if it helped me get revenge." And he has sunk to a new low. Naruto shook his head as he headed to his seat. His chain snaked off him, pulled his chair out, and returned to its position. Naruto sat down and put his feet on his desk.

"Naruto," Iruka said, still not looking.

Naruto smiled and sat back down. "I know, Iruka-sensei. Just wondering how you do that."

"I am a chunin sensei, Naruto. I see all, I know all."

That made Naruto laugh. _'If only he did.' _There was a thump as Tora laid down behind him. He began to scratch his ear while he waited for the test to start. Once it did though, he wish it would finish. There was no challenge to it! Now, he would be the first to admit he was not perfect. But his mother was Uzumaki Kushina for Kami's sake! There was no way that the Crimson Blade of Uzu would let her son not study and know the basics. And this test barely covered those. He much more enjoyed the physical portion of it. Although accuracy was plain out boring with his chains.

"Bored," Sasuke asked him while they waited.

"Aren't you?"

"Yeah I am." He sat down and stared at Naruto. "How?"

"How what?"

"How are you so strong?"

"Because I train, and I have a mom that loves me so much, she refuses to let me be weak."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah," Naruto said with a smile. "She was a ninja from the Hidden Whirlpool before she came here."

"I think I heard my father say something about that before what happened to him and the others." Naruto winced at that. He honestly didn't want to do it that night. But with that much evil gathered all in one place, it overrode him. At least not his whole family is dead. His brother, mother, and cousins along with a few older men and woman were alive. They had been having a secret meeting when Naruto rode close by. Turns out that most of the clan had been planning on betraying Konoha to cripple it. Took days to get the blood out of his jacket.

"Look, Sasuke, I am sorry about what happened. Maybe you should ask your brother to help more."

"No," Sasuke growled. "He doesn't even care that they were murdered. I will never ask him."

Naruto sighed but nodded. He didn't know who did. No one did. Naruto wished that he could tell some one but what would he say? 'I was out riding one night when I turned into a flaming killing machine of retribution.' Oh yeah, that would pardon him. Just what he needed, glares for almost killing off the Uchiha clan. He sold his soul to get rid of them the first time, he didn't have a spare to sell this time.

Naruto yawned and said, "What's the next part?"

"Jutsu," Sasuke replied, relieved that it was coming to an end. "And I am going to beat you."

"Tell you what, Rookie of the Year gets my chains."

"Glad to take them off your hands," Sasuke told him before standing up and leaving.

Tora groaned and Naruto replied, "Well, I never said I would show him how to get them to move."

—oo000oo—

Iruka had a headache. Both Sasuke and Naruto had perfect scores so far. And while Naruto was relaxed through all of it, Sasuke growled and went at it with a vendetta. He wanted first but Naruto held to firmly. At this rate, he would have to announce Naruto as Rookie of the Year. He didn't have a problem with Naruto and he thought he deserved it. He only regretted the even bigger headache he was going to get because of Sasuke being second. His only saving grace about the whole thing was that those two were not going to be on the same team.

"Alright, Naruto, perform the Bunshin."

"Too boring," Naruto said as he made the handsigns but ended on tiger. In a burst a fire, several perfect clones appeared around Naruto. "Sorry, Iruka-sensei, I couldn't resist."

"...Fire bunshin," Mizuki asked. "He knows the _fire_ bunshin!? Why is he even in the academy!?" Both Iruka and Naruto shrugged.

Iruka picked up a headband and tossed it to Naruto. "You pass. Even if Sasuke gets it perfect, you are the Rookie of the Year."

"I told mom I would take the whole thing," Naruto said with a smile as he tied it in place. He headed back in and sat down. Life was good.

"Naru-kun passed," one of his fan-girls cheered, making him groan. It had been good. He honestly, if for no other reason, wish Sasuke was Rookie of the Year now. Let him have all of them instead of just the Uchiha fan-girls. A half dozen girls mobbed him, say congratulation, asking if he was rookie of the year, how they wish they get on his team.

"Back, you blood suckers," Ino shouted as she pushed them away.

"Thanks Ino," he said as she sat down.

"No problem," she replied. They had been friends since he started helping her back in the second year. "Let me guess, you are?"

"Yeah."

"So, any thoughts on who you want as your team?"

"Hmm. No one really came in dead last beside Shikamaru so I think I will be stuck with him unless your parents, as well as the Nara and Akimichi pull a few strings. I won't be with Sasuke." He shivered at this thought. "I hope it isn't Sakura."

"She isn't that bad," Ino told him.

"Except that she is a pink hair banshee. Honestly, she could make an opera singer grab her ears at times." He held his hands up at her disapproving glare. "Okay, I get it, I'll stop."

"Thank you." They relaxed, ignoring the glares from the fan-girls, until the others were finished.

"Maybe I'll get Remi." He looked over across the room at the trench coat wearing boy with red eyes. He was a Yuuhi Remi, the little brother of Yuuhi Kurenai. He made high marks on taijutsu and accuracy. The odd part is that he used playing cards for distance weapons. The boy was currently rolling a coin along his knuckles before flipping it into the air, catching it, and calling the side that landed up.

"Everyone, I am proud to say that each of you graduated," Iruka said after he came out with the last student. "Mizuki, would you like to announce that Rookie of the Year?"

"I would," the silver haired ninja told him. "This year's rookie of the year is...Uzumaki Naruto." Two things were heard after he said that. Naruto's fangirls cheered while Sasuke's, Sasuke himself, and Naruto groaned. Naruto was glad he got it. But announcing it like that... Nothing but a headache.

"Looks like I won the bet," Naruto told Sasuke who only responded with a growl.

"Now, I will announce in three days your team, use this time to relax some as well as get a good picture for your profile."

"Hai, sensei," they all said before leaving. Save Naruto...who stopped Sasuke.

"Wait."

"My mother is waiting outside," Sasuke told him.

"Just wait... We are going to make one hell of an exit. Plus, I feel a killer intent waiting for us, outside. Several predators are there, trying to ambush us."

"Fan-girls," Sasuke said in understanding. "Well, what is the exit?"

He growled down at Tora who stretched and got up. "The window." He opened it and paced away from it. He called Tora down to him and got on.

"I am not going out like that," Sasuke told him.

Naruto reached into his pocket and took out a small bag. "That is too bad," he stated.

"...I don't think they are coming out," Sakura shouted in the hall. Several running foot steps were heard.

"But, in the end, better you than me." With a snap of his fingers, he lit the fuse. "A toy I made for pranking." He tossed it behind him and kicked Tora's flanks. The door behind them was thrown open and over a dozen fan-girls stood there.

Iruka had a terrified look on his face. "Sasuke, get on Tora!"

There was a bright flash and a loud bang as the pouch exploded. Naruto and Tora raced forward in the light, grabbing Sasuke as they did, and jumping out the window. It must have been quite a sight, a brilliant bright flash and then a tiger with two genin riding atop it falling from the sky. One the unconscious fan-girls back in the room would never see...or anything else for the next few minutes. Tora landed on all four, using his tail to guide himself to a spot clear of people. Naruto clucked his tongue and let go of Sasuke. "All off the Tora express."

He got off and walked over to his mom, who was shaking her head. "You had to make a scene?"

"I did," Naruto replied. "Told you I would take it all, mom."

"That you did," she said, rubbing his wild mane. She then scratched Tora's mane, "I still can't believe I didn't want a dear like you to watch over my son."

"Mom, I watch over him, not the other way around." Both Kushina and Tora leveled a disbelieving stare on him. "Sometimes."

"Come on, lets go get some dinner." While they were walking, Kushina and Naruto became aware of a square rock following them. "Your otouto is following us."

"Yeah. Tora, someone is following us," he said, slightly louder than needed. "Go sit on that rock and try to find them." The cat growled and headed over.

Konohamaru threw the box off and said, "STOP! Heh, I see you truly deserve your headband if you saw through my disguise." Naruto and Kushina shook their heads like they always did when Sarutobi's grandson started bragging about his 'great' ninja skills. "Hey, don't give me that, you know I am improving!"

"Yeah, you are," Naruto agreed slowly. "But you are still as obvious as a bright orange jumpsuit in the shadows." That made Kushina laugh, though she felt bad for Konohamaru. "How do you know his family again," Naruto asked her.

She tensed before saying, "Your father knew Sarutobi before he died. I was introduced after I became pregnant. Come on Konohamaru, we're heading home for a good meal and you are welcome to join us."

"Cool!" He ran and jumped on Tora's back. "Go! ...Giddiup? Yeagh? Naruto, he's broke."

Naruto dropped his head into his hand. "Please tell me I wasn't like that when I was younger."

"You were worst," Kushina told him. You were trying to figure out how to get me to say you could keep Tora so you just shouted, 'mom, can I keep him'."

Naruto sighed before turning to Tora. "No, you can't eat him, go straight home." He smacked Tora's behind, causing him to run home as fast as he could, and making Konohamaru scream all the way there.

"That was not nice, Naruto," Kushina scolded.

"But it was funny," he countered.

—oo000oo—

Just looking at the moon tonight, he knew that it was one of _those_ nights. "Tora, time to head to work." He opened his window and the two jumped out it. He got on Tora as he ran as they headed for the wall. That was where the feeling was coming from. Reins made of fire spread from his hands to Tora's head. "Let's ride," Naruto said before turning into the Ghostrider. A few ninja saw him run by only as a flaming blur. Soon, they were beyond the wall and racing into the forest to the home of a kunoichi he knew lived out here. As the Ghostrider ran, his mind went over a saying. 'And I heard a voice in the mist of the four beast. And I looked and behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him is Death. And hell followed with him."

"I swear, Iruka, come near me or try to prevent me from leaving and I will kill her," Mizuki shouted. He had his fiancée by the back of the neck with one of his giant shuriken at her throat.

"Mizuki, think about what you are doing," Iruka tried to reason. "I am going to guarantee something right here and now, Mizuki. She is coming out of this alive. If I ever think you're about to kill her, I will kill you without a moment's hesitation."

"Iruka, don't," Tsubaki told him. "I... I still love Mizuki. Please don't hurt him."

"A mistake, love," Mizuki told her. "I may have love you before but now, you are just a means to an end."

"_**Let the girl go,"**_ came a voice that chilled all of them to the bone. Looking at where it came from, they saw a figure covered in fire, riding a giant cat that was also on fire. He growled as he stepped off the burning cat. **_"There are two things I hate more than anything else, a person that takes love so carelessly and unfaithfully. And witnesses to my work."_** As he got off, they noticed he had a chain around his chest.

"Naruto," Iruka asked.

"Can't be," Mizuki said. "Even he doesn't give off this kind of killing intent."

The skeleton listened for a moment before laughing. _**"You couldn't be more wrong, I am not this 'Naruto', I am the Ghostrider! And I hunt this world for souls! Souls like yours, Mizuki."**_

"What are you going to do to him," Tsubaki demanded, even as Mizuki moved her between him and this new threat.

Naruto was walking forward while the chain ends behind his back came to life and attached themselves to his blade. He grabbed the chain and pulled it off. _**"What will I do with him? The same thing with all the guilty, send them to hell." **_The handle had come off and became a weight on one end while the blade became a melee weapon on the other. Naruto pointed his hand at him and said it again. **_"Let the girl go. Save yourself from her blood at least."_**

Iruka looked between the demon and Mizuki. A traitor or this evil creature. "Damn! I can't let you have him," Iruka yelled. "He is my problem!"

"_**...No."**_ Iruka ran up to him and punched him in the jaw. Naruto turned back to him, his jaw hanging by one side. He set it back in place and glared at Iruka. **_"Don't do that again."_** He started spinning the weighted end around and threw it. It twisted around Iruka and hit Mizuki's hand, breaking the bones there, making him drop the shuriken. _**"RUN!" **_He pushed Iruka out of the way, throwing him several feet, and ran at Mizuki. He flipped his wrist, wrapping the chain end around Mizuki's throat. He pulled, tearing him away from Tsubaki and over to him.

"Please, have mercy..." Mizuki begged as he pulled the chain from his neck.

"_**Mercy? Isn't that what that girl you killed asked for? Your soul is stained, and it is time to pay for the sins that made it." **_He grabbed Mizuki by the collar. **_"Look into my eyes..."_**

Mizuki and Naruto were both tackled to the ground. Tsubaki then pulled him away from Naruto. "You can't have him, Death or Ghostrider or whatever the hell you are! I love him and refuse to give up on him no matter what!" She stood between Mizuki and Naruto, brandishing a kunai she had hidden in her sleeve the whole time.

Naruto looked from her to him. _**"You heard what he did. He killed a woman to gain favor with a traitor, and you are willing to forgive that?"**_

"...What he did is unforgivable... But if I don't at least try, I swear I will follow him into death!"

"_**You are dumb, girl. You would be willing to go to hell for **_him**_!? He is not worthy of your affections. He is willing to betray his home, his friends, and his love for power. He should be killed in the most painful way possible. By turning all he had done against him. Every sin until his soul has been burnt from his body."_** He pointed the blade end at Mizuki, ready to use his chakra to stab him with it.

"You may work for the devil," Iruka said as he got back up. "It sounds like you do, either him or Kami. But no man is not redeemable."

Naruto looked at each of them in turn. He saw all of the things they had done wrong in their lives. While Mizuki was the worst, he knew that they all had done things no one would want to. But he also felt that they had been forgiven for those. _**"Be that as it may, until his name is removed from my list, I must hunt him. But I am just a flaming bastard, not a heartless one. You may have..."**_ He pulled a watch out of his coat pocket and looked at it. _**"Five minutes before I kill him. Say your goodbyes."**_

As one the gulped and faced Mizuki. Behind him was the cat, waiting for them to move. "If he isn't Naruto, he is so damn close it isn't funny," Iruka said. "What can we do?"

"We are looking at an agent of the devil and you think there is something we can do," Mizuki asked. He was not a religious man, having seen things even before he ever met Orochimaru that made him stop believing. "The only thing there is to do is say our goodbyes like he said and you two leave before he decides to kill you as well."

"Honorable of you," Tsubaki said, looking at Naruto. "But I am not leaving you, not now."

Mizuki looked at the kunai in her hand and said, "You could have gotten free whenever you wanted. Why didn't you?"

Tsubaki knelt by him, wrapped her arms around his shoulder, and rested her head on his shoulder. "I told you, I love you Mizuki. And nothing you do or did is going to change that." His eyes widened when he realized she was crying for him. "I can't live without you now and it is unfair that I am going to have to."

"...Despite this, you are my friend," Iruka told him. "I can't hate you. Sad, I know that is Naruto. He must have been waiting for that one thing that would tip the scale. Four years and he never once made a move against you. You steal a scroll, and because of that, make some threats to get free and now, you are evil enough to be judged guilty."

Mizuki heard them and lowered his head. "If we get out of this, I swear I will change. I'm...sorry. I've can't ever even begin to make up for it but I am sorry." They remained silent, there was nothing else to say.

Naruto snapped the watch shut. _**"Time is up, have you said your farewells?"**_

"I have, Naruto," Mizuki told him. "I know you won't already but don't hurt them. They had nothing to do with my betrayal."

"_**They will remain unharmed. May Kami have mercy on your soul because I won't."**_ Naruto grabbed his collar and lifted him up until their faces were inches away from each other.

"That won't be necessary," a girl said behind them. They all spun around to see a girl around eleven with blue hair in two buns, pointed ears, a Chinese dress as blue as her hair, and a pair of white feathered wings sitting on a branch. "Hello, Rider."

"_**What is Kami's messenger doing here?"**_

She smiled at him, "Because, you are only to hunt the evil, the contracts, and the non repentant. Kami may be harsh, but she isn't without mercy. He is willing to try to make up for his crimes so she has cleaned the scale for him."

Tsubaki gaped at the girl. "You... You mean he won't die!?"

"Not tonight," she said with a giggle. "Oh, where are my manners. I am Dota, the messenger of Kami. And I am here to make sure Naruto doesn't do anything truly evil." She looked at Naruto who was 'frowning' at her. "Don't give me that look, they already figured out who you are."

"_**You didn't need to confirm it."**_

"Naruto," Iruka said, looking at him, "how did you get like this?"

Slowly, the fires started to go away until the twelve year old ninja once again stood there. "There are some things, Iruka-sensei, that you just can't let be. Mom was taken by the same man that Mizuki works for, Orochimaru, and I was alone and hated. So Mephistopheles offered me the two things I could want most. Mom and to not be hated. I couldn't have cared about the second, I only cared that mom would be free of that bastard."

Dota dropped down, "Which is why Kami is not mad about the deal between them. And Naruto only goes after the evil ones so it all works out in the end. Tora." The cat came over to her and she rubbed his head. "If you would please." He nodded and turned to the three. His eyes glowed red and they all fell to the ground.

"What did you do to them," Naruto asked.

"Kami gave Tora something when he was born, something she knew he would need. He can erase peoples memories."

"...But then, Mizuki won't remember what he did."

"His mind won't, his heart will," she told him. "Tomorrow, he will regret all he had done, Rider. He will regret, and that is the first step to repent." She waved her hand and they vanished to reappeared in their beds. She picked up the forbidden scroll that laid forgotten not far away. "Ahem, I really am sorry, mister ninja. I just heard that the Leaf was the best and I wanted to join."

"...Dota, what are you doing?"

"I am sorry for stealing it, I just thought it was a scroll. Something just important enough to get your attention."

"...Oh. There are better ways to try to become a ninja than to steal from the Hokage tower."

"I know," she said, regretfully. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

"If you hand over the scroll now, you won't be. I'll even put in the word for you to start training to become a ninja if you really want to."

"Oh, thank you!" She handed the scroll over to him just as several ANBU and the Hokage landed in the clearing. "Uh... Hiya?"

"Naruto," Sarutobi said to him. "Is what we heard true?" Naruto began to sweat something fierce. "She just stole it to show she was good enough to become a ninja?"

"Yes, sir," Naruto told him, relieved. "Jiji, she calls herself Dota." Naruto leaned the scroll against his leg before he removed his blade from his chain and replaced them on his body. "I swear to you she did not mean to cause trouble."

Inu shook his head before he began to laugh. "An eleven year old, no ninja training with the only thing going for her is two wings snuck unto the Hokage Tower and stole the Scroll of Seals. We really have become too relaxed."

"Hey, I have more going for me than my wings," Dota pouted while stomping her foot.

The Hokage chuckled at the display. "Tora," both the ANBU and the tiger looked at him. "I meant the ninja. Go inform everyone to stand down from battle formations. So young lady, how about you, Naruto, and I go somewhere to talk and have some tea."

"I would love to," she said excitedly.

As a chain came out, wrapped around the scroll, and bound it to his back, Naruto whispered, "How long are you going to stay?"

"As long as you need me," she said with another giggle.

—oo000oo—

It made no sense to Sarutobi. Yeah, she had said she had more than her wings going for her but she had nearly passed the genin test with a perfect. She knew everything. Now, normally, this would shout a spy. But two things, she had yet to show signs of chakra use and that no one in the world would send a spy in that would score as well as she did on purpose. And he found no sign of her anywhere. There was not a ninja village that had a Kekkei Genkai that gave a person workable wings. So where did she learn it? She wasn't from a village nor had she trained at one. "How did you do so well," the Hokage asked her.

Dota giggled, "I cheated. That is what a ninja is supposed to do, right?"

Sarutobi laughed, "Can't argue that point! But the jutsu portion, how did you cheat that?"

"Oh, those are easy. I watched former ninja while I was growing up and eventually learned to draw out my chakra and how to shape it. By copying their moves, I learned several jutsu."

"So you watched and learned."

"I did."

Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and looked at her. Naruto was in the back of the room, having stayed to watch. "...You are too advanced to go to the academy. But not there yet to be a full fledged ninja."

"Maybe an apprenticeship," Naruto offered. "I know the teams were only just being decided. Maybe she should be put on a team and be told to watch the others and learn."

"But that would take time."

"And so will getting through all those damn D rank missions before the team would have been ready for a C rank anyway."

Sarutobi sighed, "You are right..." He grinned wickedly. "I have just the team in mind! Dota, as you were not part of the class that just graduated and have no records nor anyone to vouch for your training, I have no choice to put you as the thirtieth out of thirty to graduate." She groaned. "As such, you will be paired with the Rookie of the Year and the fifteenth out of thirty for a team."

"...Wait a minute," Naruto stated, what the Hokage said taking a moment to register in his tired mind. "I'm Rookie of the Year!"

"Really," Sarutobi asked in false surprise. "I honestly didn't know. Well Naruto, I am trusting you to take care of her." He grinned again, "You have a spare bedroom in your home, right?"

"NO! I pushed my luck with Tora! I remember just how bad that hurt fiasco went! Just imagine me going up to mom, holding Dota, going 'Can I keep her?' No, it will never happen!"

—oo000oo—

"Mom, she has no where else to go," Naruto said to Kushina in the kitchen while Dota sat in the living room. "I know it is the totally wrong situation for this but 'can we keep her'?"

Sarutobi was there with them and he began to laugh. He actually said it. "Is this your idea," Kushina asked.

"Only a little."

"Under dictionary, a lot," Naruto stated.

"Kushina," Sarutobi said, all serious now. "I need you to do this. None of this makes sense, she says she cheated but how did she know how to? I need someone to watch her and I trust you and Naruto to do that. Just to make sure that she isn't a spy. Of course you both will be paid extra as well as given a dividend to cover feeding another mouth."

When Kushina didn't answer, she just looked at the girl, Naruto said, "She would love to. Mom always said she wanted a daughter as well." His mother bopped him upside the head.

"Don't answer for me, Naruto."

"Like you were going to say no," Naruto stated. "We always had a weakness for those that need help."

"You still have no right to answer for me... Even if you are right."

"Of course I am right," Naruto replied. "Dota, can you come here."

The winged girl walked into the kitchen. "Heya, Naruto, what's up?"

"You are staying here," Kushina told her. "Who are your parents and where do they live? I will send them a message and regular updates on how well you are adjusting to being a ninja."

"I don't have any parents," she said sadly.

"Then you will definitely live here," Kushina about shouted. "No way on earth will I leave anyone alone in this world." Naruto almost wanted to say his mother was being hypocritical. He knew what she had done in her life. Not all of it of course, but he knew she had cut down several men and women in her life. Which would lead to a mother, father, son, daughter, and any number of others without a loved one. That really sucked, him knowing things like that.

"...You would really take in a stray like me," Dota asked, surprised. Before she became Kami's messenger, she had been an orphan that no one cared for.

"Of course," Kushina said as she hugged the girl. "No way am I letting someone as cute as you get away." Naruto rolled his eyes and mouthed what she said next. "Kawaii."

Sarutobi looked over at him. "The wings, it has to be the wings."

—oo000oo—

Noon the next day found Naruto doing hand push ups. "One forty five...forty six...forty seven...forty eight...forty nine... One hundred fifty." He leaned his legs forward and pushed off with his arms, landing back on his feet. "Hello Hizashi-san, how is Neji today?"

"He is fine, Naruto," the Jonin said to him. "Just a few more days and you won't need guards anymore."

"Thank Kami for that," he said as he stretched his arms. "Don't get me wrong, some of the ANBU are my friends. But I am tired of always going with someone. And never being told why!"

"Actually, I can tell you that now that you are a genin. But your mom has reserved that right," the Hyuuga said with a smile.

"Damn," Naruto said, dropping his head. "Well, time for lunch. Ja ne."

"Actually, I'm your guard today so I will be joining you." The two walked to Icharuka Ramen and had a 'few' bowls. "By the way, nice work, getting the scroll back so fast. At first, we had thought it was a chunin. A witness said the thief was dressed as one."

"Dota is talented," Naruto replied. "The Hokage gave her the Genin test that night and made her one with this class."

"Wow, impressive. Did he say where she scored?"

"Up at the top," Naruto replied. "But as she had no past grades, she is the last passing."

"So she will most likely be placed with you," Hizashi thought logically.

"Jiji already said so. Ayame-chan, can I have another miso, three chicken, and beef?"

"Coming right up, hero," she said with a smile to him.

"Hero? All I did was bring back the scroll."

"Actually, you have done far more than that," Hizashi told him. "Your mom will explain tonight." He got up and and put enough ryu down for his bowl and all that Naruto had so far.

"Where are you going without me?"

"Without you, Naruto," Hizashi asked, looking away from where he was standing. "Why I see you running straight for the hills right now." He took off after his imaginary Naruto, giving Naruto the day free from prying eyes.

Naruto looked after him amazed, before turning to Teuchi and Ayame. "...Okay, what I miss? Whatever it is, I want to know."

Teuchi laughed, "You always want to know. So I will tell you this, you have a secret that old people like me and some of the younger ones know. Something that makes you very special and has you the thanks of everyone in this village."

Naruto must have looked dumbfounded because Ayame giggled at him. "Now, shouldn't you be enjoying your day off?" She set his bowl on the counter. When all of it finally registered to Naruto, he quickly finished his ramen, thanked them, and ran off with Tora following.

"YES!" He shouted as he reached the wall, jumped from ledge to ledge on the buildings before landing on the walkway. He looked out over the Sea of trees and grinned. There was a thump as Tora landed besides him. Naruto put his nose to the wind and waited for several minutes. The Chunin manning the wall just walked by him, knowing that he was in the mood for hunting something. "THERE!" He jumped off, pulled his chain off, swung it, catching a branch to break his fall, and hit the ground running. Beside him, Tora was running, also excited. They hadn't been able to do this in a long time. After several minutes, they heard a sound that made Naruto's heart race. Clucking. A flock of wild chickens to be precise. Now, anyone that hunted a fox knows that it is a very cunning creature. It hunted only enough to survive and was known to even store leftovers for later. But if there was one thing a fox could not resist, it is chicken blood. When a fox eats one, he will go on to eat all others around. Now, when that fox is almost five feet tall, wielding a slightly large blade, and metal chains he can make come to life, you know it will get a little messy. Especially when a tiger gets involved as well.

—oo000oo—

Author's notes: The idea of the chain able to split off and become others as well as Naruto moving it came from Spawn. While the black and gray tiger is actually my nightsaber on World of Warcraft, yeah I play it. I chose it as a mount because it can also fight. The scythe blade that attaches to the chain is just a reference to the fourth horseman, Death. When it is on, it is just a kunai and chain. It is covered in fire when Naruto uses it. Being the Ghostrider, Naruto also has the Fire affinity along with Wind. Now, I have been giving this some thought as to what it create to combine them and I realized it. Alchemy 101: Super condensed air plus fire equals B.A.B. Big Ass Boom.

I just did this as something to do while I try to figure out what comes next in the next chapters of my stories. I might continue it or give it to someone else.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto came too several hours later, his euphoria finally coming to an end. He sat up and spit a feather out of his mouth. Looking around, he smacked his lips as he tried to find another piece but couldn't. Not far away from him, Tora was laying on the ground, his stomach bulging from how much he had eaten. As he stretched and got up, he looked down at his clothes. His fire covered his body for a moment, burning away the blood and feathers until he looked presentable again. Taking his pocket watch out, he saw that he would have to be back home in a few hours. So he figured he might as well show his new burden around. He jumped on Tora and they started back to Konoha.

Not far away, a girl stepped out from behind a tree and giggled, her wings shaking a bit. "That was bloody...perfect," she said, licking her lips. She always liked her men blood thirsty.

—oo000oo—

"Good afternoon, mom," Naruto said when he got back. "Dota here?"

"Yes she is. She is in her room, getting settled in."

"Arigato." He went upstairs to her room and knocked on the door. "Dota."

"yes, rider?"

"I'm going to show you around Konoha."

It opened to show her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "And when did I agree to that?"

"Well, if you would rather stay here instead of learning more about your team mate, I guess I can always go train. Or maybe I should go hunting." He turned on his heel and was about to leave.

"What a ham," Dota said as she grabbed his arm. "Well? Show me around!" Outside, Naruto placed her on Tora and got on ahead of her. Moving his legs back, Tora started trotting forward. No hurry after all. As they went around Konoha, Naruto told her about everything. Icharuka Ramen, the Hokage Tower, the Kekkei Genkai clan estates, the training field forty four where he would go to at night when he had no one watching to training in his abilities. "Have you noticed that we are being followed?"

"Yes," Naruto replied. "There is at least half a dozen fan girls behind us, wondering who you are and probably how to beat you up without me knowing. And one that I can't quite figure out. Want to tick them off?"

"How?"

Naruto moved a hand back, "Grab it."

She did. "And?"

"No and, just hold my hand." He knew all the staring girls were now wide eyed that he was doing that. As they went, Naruto hummed his favorite song until the end. "Their face were gone, their eyes they burned, their shirts all soaked with sweat. Their riding hard to catch the herd but they ain't caught them yet. Cause you got to ride forever on that range up in the sky, on horses snorting fire, as they ride on hear their cry. As the riders ran on by him, he heard one call his name. If you want to save your soul from hell, your riding on our range. Cowboy, change your way today or with us you shall ride, trying to catch the Devil's herd across the endless sky. Yippy-i-ay, yippy-i-oh-whoa-whoa, ghost riders in, Ghostrider in the sky."

"Somehow, I am not surprised, Rider," Dota said to him.

"I would feel insulted if you did." He kicked Tora's sides and he started running. The fan-girls were left behind quickly. Tora jumped over a fence and ran into the trees. To Dota's surprise, fire reins appeared in Naruto's hands before the cat changed into his ghost form, followed by Naruto.

"What are you doing!? And how are you able to do it during the day!?"

"_**Someone is following us, even after Tora started running,"**_ he replied. **_"And they still are. Besides, no better way to get to where I want to."_** Tora reached the foot of the Hokage Monument and started running up it. They reach the top going so fast, Tora flew into the air fifty feet before landing. When he did, Naruto powered down, got off, and grabbed his weapons. "Come on out, who ever you are!"

"Oh," a voice said as a girl dropped down from the sky. On her back were two bat like wings. Her hair was green and her eyes glowed blood red. Her skin was luminescent and her figure, for a thirteen year old, was that of a sex goddess wearing black leather. But the two that saw her knew it was more along the lines of sex demon. "Here I was hoping to hear more of that song, Ghostrider," the succubus, putting a finger to her lips, pouting a little.

The two dropped their heads, not really up for this. "What do you want," Naruto asked.

"Why. Oh. You." Dota began to scowl while Naruto sighed.

"How about this one. Why is everyone and their dog from heaven and hell coming after me now!?"

"You are a major piece in the game," she said, her tail swinging side to side. "And when I heard ten years ago that there was a new rider, I wanted to meet you. Then when I heard you were only three, I figured that I better wait a few years until you had a sex drive." She tilted her head a little and grinned at him.

Dota finally lost it. "Well, do it, Rider!"

"Do what?"

"Judge her! Kill her! Something, anything!"

Naruto sighed, "I can't judge her, she has no soul to judge, just like you. Can't kill her, she hasn't done anything wrong. Thus, I would be in the wrong."

"You sold your soul to the devil for Christ's sake and NOW you are worried about being in the wrong!?"

"I was three and alone!" As the two bickered back and forth about the fate of the demoness, she found the whole thing extremely funny and openly laughed at them. "And besides, maybe she is here for a reason!"

"Ah, to the point," she said. "Just what I love about my men! I am. Since Kami has saw it fit to have her representative here, Mephistopheles thought it would be for the best to have one of his own here to keep the board even. There must be a balance. And there is also the fact that you are this little demoness's wet dream, all that black leather and metal."

Naruto began to growl before he turned around. "BOSS!"

Mephistopheles faded into view, his cane clacking against the stone of the mountain. "Problem, Naruto?" He pointed at the succubus. "I fail to see the problem as she has already told you what she is here for."

"A succubus, you had to send a succubus," Naruto shouted, making the devil laugh.

"And what, send a tanar'ri? Or maybe a balor? I'm sure that Errtu would love to come back to earth. If you don't mind a winged, dog faced truly evil creature with a lightning blade and fire whip terrorizing your home," Mephistopheles countered. "Believe me, Naruto, a sex crazed demoness is not the worst I can do."

"Isn't there someone more...normal?" Again, Naruto made the Devil laugh.

"Face it, you are stuck with her."

"And how are we going to explain this," Dota demanded.

"Girl, I am the devil and making trouble for my Ghostrider is not what I set out to do. Others, yes, but not my rider. Haven't you been wondering why no one has bothered you during all this?"

"Actually, yes," Dota replied. "Naruto did make a scene."

"He stopped time," Naruto told her, motioning to a bird frozen in the air. "...And I take it you have already seen to it that she won't be questioned."

"Do I ever leave loose ends?"

"Only the ones I clean up," Naruto countered before sighing. "Just flaming great, both you and Kami are making my job difficult!" Both Dota and the succubus were shocked that he was that disrespectful to him. But all Mephistopheles did was chuckle.

"Like I said, I don't try to make trouble for my rider. Try to deal with it, Naruto, and I will see what I can do to ease it." He looked over at the succubus. "Lilim, I trust you will be helpful for him."

Lilim jumped on Naruto's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "In, oh, so many ways," she replied. "Rider-kun, don't forget, a succubus needs energy to survive. You better help me with that," she whispered in his ear, making him shiver when her lips touched his ear.

"Thanks for explaining, boss."

Mephistopheles nodded, "You will receive a mission very soon, Rider. Two souls will cross your path while on it. Collect them, I have work for one of them that will probable include the other."

"Ooh, gives me chills. Please keep me warm, Rider-kun," Lilim said, pressing herself harder against Naruto, making Dota bristle. "Oh, isn't it cute. Dota-chan is getting jealous! Remember, I naturally have first dibs on him."

"Like hell you do!"

"Exactly," Lilim said to her. "After all, he does work with me. And you wouldn't want me going sex crazy on all the boys here in Konoha! Why, I know that the Inuzuka are like animals in bed but could they handle me?" It was all Dota could do to not go up to her and slap her. But to do that to the agent of the devil right in front of him would be suicide.

"Boss, I will get them," Naruto told him. "Dota, I would have slapped her as that is what was expected." He shook Mephistopheles' hand before turning around, Lilim still on his back. "If you would, sir." Mephistopheles clacked his cane against the stone again and was gone. Naruto looked up at the bird and saw it too was gone. "Lilim, if you would please."

"Ruin my fun." She let go and dropped back to the ground. A few moments later, Tora, the ninja, appeared.

"Why am I not surprised. Fire is seen climbing right up the face of the Second and who do I find but the hater of the mundane Rookie of the Year, White Wing Dota and her partner in crime, Black Wing Lilim."

"Yeah," Lilim said with a shameless grin. "I was just trying to seduce Naruto and things got a little hot."

Naruto dropped his head in his hand, "That was bad, Lilim, even for you."

"It is my middle name."

"Really?"

"No." She turned to Tora and said, "Naruto-kun was showing us a powerful fire jutsu."

"Ah, that explains it. Naruto, you three need to head home soon. Kushina needs to talk to you."

"Got it, Tora-san."

"And where is Hizashi, he was supposed to be watching you!?"

"Ah...ah... TORA, HIGH TAIL IT!" He grabbed the hands of both girls, jumped on the cat, and was gone in a heartbeat.

—oo000oo—

"Mom, we're back," Naruto called as they entered. "Ladies, I will see you soon." With a nod to Lilim and Dota, he went up to his mother. "What is it you want to tell me?"

"In the study, Naruto," her voice sounding very serious, so much so that Naruto was almost afraid of what she had to tell him. Naruto was very concerned with what it was that she had to say when Kushina paced the room several moments trying to figure out how to say what she wanted. He had never seen her hesitate before, never. "Naruto, what I am about to tell you was a S class secret until you became a genin. Do you understand how that would be important?"

He was silent for a moment. "As a whole, no mom. But that it was until _I_ became a genin I can see. This has something to do with me."

"Yes. You know that there is a celebration on your birthday, correct?"

"Yes, the day the Fourth defeated the Kyuubi."

"Not just the Fourth," Kushina told him when she finally stopped pacing. "It is celebrated because on that day, another hero was born in Konoha. You."

"Me? How am I a hero?"

"Naruto, the Fourth could not kill the Kyuubi. No human can kill them."

Naruto swallowed as he remembered something his mother told him once. "And the Fourth was a Seal Master. I was born on the day of the attack... Did he...?"

"Naruto, whatever you think, never think that you are that monster," Kushina said, putting a comforting hand on her son's arm. "You are his jailer, not him."

"The Kyuubi was sealed inside me," Naruto said quietly. "That is what he meant..."

"What who meant," Kushina asked. "Naruto, who said something about the fox?"

Naruto hadn't meant to say that. "A dream I had a long time ago, mom. I thought it was just a dream."

"Who was in it," she demanded.

"A fox," Naruto replied. "He said I was a kitsune-tsuki. I never thought that he was telling the truth. Or that it would be _that_ fox. But he did say it was a very special fox." Despite his body temperature being over ten degrees higher than any normal human, Naruto found himself shivering. _'Boss, why not tell me? Most likely because he knew it wasn't his place to.'_

"Naruto, Naruto, are you going to be able to handle," Kushina asked him.

"I...I just need to sit down." He grabbed the closest chair and dropped down in it. He looked up when a glass was held out for him with what smelled of saki. He drained it.

"Tell me about that fox."

"He...He was old and reddish fur. When he moved, I thought I heard the clack of a cane. But he said something else during that dream. He wouldn't have me weak."

"Did he have nine tails?"

"I don't remember, it was before my fourth birthday. I... He... Why me? Just because I was born on that day?"

"There is that," Kushina told him. "And there is something else."

"What," Naruto asked, almost afraid of more news.

"Naruto, this is a secret as well, one that is too big right now. You finding about the Kyuubi and me the dream you had, it is all more than enough for even one year."

"When will you tell me?"

"Soon, Naruto," she said, kissing his forehead. "And thank you, for keeping the Demon Fox away. I know that isn't much, but it is all anyone can really console you with."

Naruto sat there, silent, for a long time. Finally, he broke into a grin and even chuckled. Mephistopheles told him he was the one that created the Bijuu as his bounty hunters when the population of the world grew too big. And now, his newest bounty hunter had one sealed inside of him. Ironic. "...I'm fine, Kaa-san. It was actually easier to come to terms with than you think."

"So, you aren't mad that I kept this from you?"

"Never, mom." He set the cup on the desk. "How could I have been ready when I was younger? Besides, what does it change? Sure, it explains why I was never sick and heal faster than I should. But that just explains why. It isn't like you treated me bad because of it. Or the village." Yeah, there were those three years but those 'never' happened. "I can live with this." He gave her a hug and thanked her.

"Why are you thanking me," Kushina asked.

"Because you didn't think me a monster. It would have been easy but no one did. I don't think I could live without you, kaa-san." He hugged her all the tighter, the memories of a time without her coming unbidden.

Kushina was uncomfortable with his chains digging into her but said nothing and held her son. _'Minato would be proud of you, Naruto. I know he would be.'_

—oo000oo—

Naruto headed to his room that night and laid down on his futon. "Come in," he said before the knock. Which was going to be pounding. Dota came in with Lilim smiling behind her. "And the eternal struggle between heaven and hell continues inside Konoha."

"Rider, do something about her! She... She... UGH!" Dota stomped her foot while Lilim never lost her smug smile.

"And what is she doing that I am supposed to do something about?"

"She won't stop doing these things..."

"These things? What are 'these things'?"

"Oh, I giggle every now and then," Lilim told him. "Turn my head this way and that. Stand in front of a mirror and make sure I look sexy for you, Rider-kun."

Naruto looked blankly from one to the other, getting it now. Dota could barely stand the succubus and Lilim knew it. Those small moves could easily grind on the right person's nerves. "Dota, Lilim, both of you stop being childish."

"I am not being childish," Dota shouted while Lilim pouted at him. The demoness turned around while her tail hugged her butt. A moment later, Dota twisted around to look at what Naruto was looking at, frozen in his dumbfounded stare. Lilim's tail was trailing up her legs, squeezing a butt cheek, before going down a leg and then back up. "The both of you are perverts!"

"I can't help it, it is my nature," Lilim said with a smile. "And Rider-kun is a teenager. Speaking of which, Rider-kun, you don't have another spare bedroom. Can I sleep with you?" His face turned bright red.

"Oh no you don't! I know you have little sleeping in mind!"

"Will you three stop flirting," Kushina called from down the hall. "Some people are trying to sleep!"

"Yes, Kaa-san," Naruto replied. "You heard her ladies, quiet down and go to bed."

"Alright," Lilim said, all too happy to comply.

Naruto jerked and looked at the body now hugging his midsection. "...How did you get undressed so fast?" Where she was standing, her leather clothes were falling to the ground. Luckily, she still had on her underwear.

"A succubus secret," Lilim replied. She looked over at Dota. "What are you still doing here? You have a room."

"Oh no, I am not leaving you in here like that. You take the room and I stay."

That was not lost on Naruto. So, with thoughts of saving himself for marriage or that special person, suggested, "Why not the both of you sleep in the spare bedroom?" The looks they sent him was enough to kill a normal man.

"I will not leave her in this room," they both said, glaring at each other. "And I won't leave until she does!"

Lilim stopped scowling and pulled herself closer to Naruto. "Well, I guess you can just stay and watch."

"I will not!"

"Burning flames," Naruto muttered. He never just about never said hell as a curse or asked Kami to save him from things, kind of late for that. "She won't be watching anything because nothing will happen."

Lilim looked ready to cry at that. "You mean you don't like me?" A few tears escaped while her bottom lip quivered. Dota hated to admit it but she was good, Naruto was practically in the bag for her. "Did... Did I do something wrong, Rider-kun?"

"That is low, Lilim," Naruto muttered. "I don't hate you Lilim, I do like you. I just don't know you enough to do that...yet at least."

Dota looked downtrodden now. _'Time to take a page from that _woman's_ book.'_ She started tearing up as well. "But...I though you liked me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto tried to get his mouth to work, not believing he had made the both of them cry. While Lilim didn't fall for it. "Those are obviously fake," she challenged, standing up.

"So were your's," Dota replied.

"They were not!"

"Then where are they now?" That simple question shut Lilim up. "Now, go to the room, you can't be trusted with Rider."

"And you think I haven't noticed how you are eying him like a piece of meat," Lilim countered. "At least I have a reason. If I don't I will be ready to rape someone in little more than a month. Although..." she gave Dota a sly grin that made her feel uneasy. "It doesn't have to be a boy. Maybe you will sacrifice yourself to keep such a thing from happening?" At Dota's look, Lilim laughed. "I'm straight, I'm straight. Honestly though, I have to. So pucker up, Rider-kun!" She turned to look at him to find him gone. In his place was a note. "Gone to sleep on couch, one sleep in my bed, the other sleep in the spare bedroom... Oh, hell no!"

Naruto had grabbed a blanket, laid down on the couch, before tossing the blanket, spreading it out. It floated in the air for a moment before resting on Naruto...and Dota...and Lilim, all of them in nothing but their undergarments. "I can't win, can I?"

"Nope," they both replied. Naruto just sighed before leaning his head back. If he couldn't beat them, deal with them.

—oo000oo—

Kushina woke up the next morning and went to go tell Tora to sit on her son until he woke. But she found Tora sleeping on the bed alone. Surprised, she headed to the kitchen to see if he was already awake and making breakfast. And she was very surprised to find Naruto sleeping on the couch with Dota _and_ Lilim sleeping on him. She could tell by his expression it was not his idea. Besides, if it was, why the couch. Looking at the two, at how they clung to Naruto while scowling at each other even while sleeping, almost made her laugh. "Seems no matter where you go you will find fan-girls, son." She grinned after a moment. A divine right of all parents was to embarrass their children.

She lifted the blanket a little and was shocked to find them in nothing but underwear. Naruto was too much of a gentleman to go anywhere but it still gave her plenty of ammo. "Hmm..." First, she moved where Dota's hand was. It was now under his butt. Lilim's was already there. So to get her, Kushina moved her free hand from Naruto's chest to Dota's butt. While Dota's other hand went to Naruto's waistband, a little under it in fact. She then tilted the girls heads a little to be kissing Naruto's chest. Finally, she unsnapped their bras and put Naruto's hands on their bare backs.

Stepping back to look at her handiwork, she grinned in satisfactory before bunching the blanket at their feet.. "Uzumaki Naruto! Wake up this instant!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open. "Wha...? Kaa-san? What did I do now?"

"Doesn't look that difficult to figure out," she growled, faking her anger well. "Should I be expecting a grandchild or two in the near future!?"

"Huh?" He looked down and his face turned pale. "By the flames. Did we..." Something hit him and he breathed easier. If either of the two would put their hand in his boxers as they slept, it would be Lilim. "This is not funny, mom."

"Oh, it will be in a second. Dota, Lilim, wake up. I demand to know why you two raped my son."

Dota flexed her muscles, stretching them while remaining in place. "What do you... Naruto, are you grabbing me?"

"No, my hand is on your back."

"That would be me," Lilim told her, smiling while her eyes remained closed. "Thank you for the help, Uzumaki-sama. I was wondering what it would take to get in this position." Naruto yelped when she squeezed and then licked his chest a little. "Nice feel, Naruto-kun." The rest of them blushed when Dota yelped as well. "You're not bad yourself, Dota-chan."

Kushina dropped her jaw, turned around, and left the room without saying anything. She saw that going a bit differently in her mind.

—oo000oo—

They had turned in their profile photos and Lilim, of course, was told to retake it. Maybe in a few years can she have one that would make a person get a nosebleed. When it was all said and done, it was evening again and Naruto used the Kawarimi to escape them. The following day was the one they were to receive their teams.

They walked in and everyone seemed to focus on the two girls. Especially the boys. Kiba actually howled before jumping over the desk down to the floor. "Good morning, ladies," he said, boys at the waist. _'I love their legs!'_ As he straightened, he said, "I am Inuzuka Kiba. And I am praying that we get on a team together."

Lilim flashed him a seductive smiled, walked up to him, wrapped her arms around one of his, making sure to press it to her cleavage, and then moved her lips to where they will brush his ears. "I have heard of the Inuzuka before, you animal," she whispered, in a good way. "And, while I would love to try it doggy style, I...am...taken." She let him go after a chaste kiss to his cheek. She then flapped her wings to fly a little and get above him to pat his head. "I'm sorry, little puppy, I can't take you home with me." Oddly enough, Kiba noted as a blush was on his face while he looked up at her, and consequentially her skirt, he didn't feel bad about being shot down. Even more so when Akamaru poked his head out of his coat and she hugged him, calling him 'just too cute'.

Ino looked from her to her own, smaller, chest. "What did you get, implants!?"

"No," Lilim said, acting like she didn't know what she was doing. Her constant smirk turned into a full grown grin when she saw that Sasuke, having never stared at any girl in the class before, was eying her openly. "Dota, which do you think he is looking at, me or you? Do you think he wants a piece of heaven or to raise a little hell?"

"Who?"

Naruto cupped his head in his hands as he went to sit down. "Stop making a scene you two."

"Okay Rider-kun," Lilim said, flying over and dropping into his lap.

"Get off him," Dota growled, flying over to her and pulling her off. And right then, Naruto knew what Sasuke had to put up with everyday with Sakura and Ino.

"Why don't you go sit on Sasuke," Lilim shouted at her, earning the ire of everyone there.

"SHUT UP," Iruka shouted, using his Big Head no Jutsu. "No, I am going to read off teams. And one of these teams will be an experiment. It will have four members. This is for two reasons. One is that with the sudden addition of two new genin, we don't have anyplace to put them. The second is will be revealed to the team by their sensei." He started reading them off. "...Team Seven. Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba."

"Damn it," Kiba groaned. "I wanted to be with the new girls!"

"Tough luck," Choji told him, munching on his chips.

"Team Eight, Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino."

"Man," Naruto muttered. He already knew that he would be with Dota and Lilim as they were the last and Mephistopheles would mess with him on this. But he was hoping that he would be the four man cell with Ino.

"Team Nine, Uzumaki Naruto, Tenchi Dota, Gouda Lilim, and Yuuhi Remi." There was two cheers followed by a thump as Naruto was tackled out of view

Remi looked at them and then at Iruka. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Bad luck," Iruka replied. Mizuki walked in the next instant. "That the next class roster?"

"It is, Iruka," Mizuki replied. He didn't know what it was that happened but he felt relieved, like a great weight had been taken off his chest. Although, he didn't doubt that it had something with the burn scar that was now on his chest. "...Where is Naruto?" Two figures being held by chains were lifted from the floor, one of them looking like she was enjoying it.

"Down here, Mizuki-sensei," Naruto said as he came back up.

"Ah, there you are. I just wanted to thank you for retrieving the scroll a few nights ago. Though I still don't know the details."

Lilim grinned and stuck a tongue out a little. "We were trying to impress the Hokage to let us join and when I saw how cute Rider-kun is, I just had to have him."

"Nearly cost us making it," Dota growled. She pulled the chains down and floated back down to the ground, followed by Lilim.

"Well, no worries," Iruka told them. "Team ten is Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Kurama Yakumo. Your senseis will be here this afternoon, you are free until then."

—oo000oo—

"Fan girls," Remi muttered. "The most useless creature on the planet makes up half of my team."

"You want to repeat that," Lilim asked, suddenly seeming much more demonic than before. Her lips pulled back a little, revealing fangs. She then started speaking in a unfamiliar language to him. _"Rider-kun, normally I would prefer to use pleasure but for him, I think I can drain him of his essence through the messy way."_ The Language of the dead and demons.

"_Please don't, I don't want to explain away why the body parts of our teammate is everywhere,"_ Naruto replied before standing up to leave. "I am going to go get something to eat, I'll be back in a few minutes. And Remi, if you don't want to die today, don't insult them again." He got on Tora and started to Icharuka for some ramen to go. While he waited, someone walked in and sat down.

"Why am I not surprised, Naruto-kun," Hana asked. "Beef please. Let me guess, you are getting several orders of chicken."

"And a few others for my teammates," Naruto replied. "How are you doing, Hana-chan?"

"Good. And so are my partners."

"Cool. You're a jonin now, aren't you?"

"I am. Why?"

"Just wondering what the chances are that you are my sensei."

"I doubt it," she said with a smiled. "Me on the same team with a over grown house cat?" Tora groaned at her and she scratched his head. "Just joking, Tora-chan." Her bowl of Ramen was laid out in front of her and she started eating. "Hey, Inu-san," she said to the masked jonin, still using his handle from when he was ANBU.

"Hana, Naruto, how are things going?"

"Good," they replied.

"So, are either of you two my sensei?"

"Not me," Hana told him.

"I have Team five for today at least. The Council wanted me to be the co-sensei for team seven with Uchiha Akumo. But I don't even want to be your sensei, Naruto, much less his. No offense."

"None taken. So, off to try and ruin the hopes and dreams of another genin team," Naruto asked

"It isn't that hard a test," Kakashi defended himself with. "So, which team are you again? Team eight?"

"Nine," Naruto told him, "the experimental team."

Realization dawned on Kakashi. "Ah, you'll have him."

"Who is 'him'?"

"A friend of mine, you will be his first team. He is an expert in handling unknown abilities so those two sparrows on your team are in good hands."

"Hope so, there is a lot that can go wrong, having four instead of three. New ground and all. Plus, we mess up, it will ruin the chances for later teams."

"Good to see this isn't lost on you, Naruto-kun," Hana said, rubbing his hair. She looked up as Ayame placed several soup boxes on the counter. "Kami almighty, do you have enough?"

"I know, a bit light," Naruto replied. "But not that hungry today."

"It's the end of the world," Kakashi joked. "Naruto not hungry, just not right."

"Ha ha, very funny. Tora, I think I smell Cat Snap Treats in Kakashi's back pocket." Even as the cat jumped to his paws, Kakashi was hauling out of there. "About time that lazy jonin got some exercise." He smiled at Hana, "Have a good day."

"You too Naruto," Hana replied.

Naruto got back and found several of the new genin restraining a whip wielding Lilim and Dota holding a rose. They were shouting about killing Remi, who had several wounds on his body now. His duster coat looked a little torn up now. And his staff was in his hands. "Remi, I told you not to insult them."

"I thought they were fan girls, give me a break!"

"Do I look like one of those bimbos," they demanded at the same time. "I know she is but I'm not!" They then started to growl at each other.

"Enough," Naruto shouted as he set the ramen on a desk. "Now, either you three stop fighting or I will tie you to a tree and eat you lunch in front of you! And Remi, you will be between the two of them!" He turned back to his angel and succubus. "And you two! Enough, I have had enough of this! If you don't stop right now, I will finish it!" He grabbed his chain, pulled it from his body, and snapped a few links taunt, making it catch fire. When everyone in the room was staring at him, sweating a little, he smiled, put out the fire, and returned it to his back. "Better. Dota, I got you shrimp. Lilim, I got you miso. Remi, I got you beef. And the rest is my chicken." He grabbed his, sat down, threw his boot up on the desk, and ate his meal.

—oo000oo—

Asuma walked in first for his team. "Hey Naruto."

"Asuma-san," Naruto said with a nod while he sharpened his scythe blade. He set down the whet stone and looked over at him. "Here for Team Nine?"

"No, Team Eight." He saw three genin stand up. "Ah, Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi, I am Sarutobi Asuma, your sensei. Come with me." Team Eight left and Naruto went back to inspecting his blade. He held the blade horizontally with the edge pointed to the ceiling. He looked at it for any nicks and notches, already knowing there would be none but still checking as it needed to be done. When satisfied, he turned it so he was looking down the edge for any bends and wavers. When he thought he found one, he picked the whet stone up again, and went to straightening it.

The door opened again and Yuuhi Kurenai walked in. "Hey, sis," Remi said. "What unlucky team has you?" His face was flattened into the desk by the older woman.

"Shut up, gaki," she growled. "I'm here for team ten. Hyuuga, Kurama, Aburame, front and center." Hinata, Shino, and Yakumo went down and stood in front of her. "I am Yuuhi Kurenai, your sensei. Let's go." They left and Naruto looked over at the still form of his teammate. When he didn't move for several seconds, Naruto's chain went over, and poked him a few times, getting no reaction.

Two jonin walked in next, both with black hair and eyes. One of them had two lines on face from stress and was about seventeen. The other was in his mid twenties. His hair went down to his shoulder blades and was straight except where it stuck up at a few places. They looked kind of similar. "Team Seven, come with me," the older one, Uchiha Akumo said.

"Team Nine," the younger one said, smiling, "Naruto, Lilim, Dota, Remi, I am your jonin sensei, Uchiha Itachi. Let's go to the roof to talk." Naruto was so shocked, he dropped his jaw before turning to Sasuke. To say he was seething was one hell of an understatement. He turned from his older brother to Naruto, glaring so hard it must have hurt. Naruto thought he was going to activate his Sharigan right then and there. "Hey Sasuke," he said, holding his hand up to wave. "I tried to get you but rules about training family and all. Just wouldn't let me. So I figured I could at least train your rival. That way, you know you will always have someone to challenge you."

"Why not mark the hit on me yourself," Naruto groaned as he stood up and headed to the roof with the others. "So you are Kakashi's friend."

"Kakashi-senpai," Itachi asked. "Yeah, he helped train me to be an ANBU. Yes?"

Dota had raised her hand. She was surprised by him and his demeanor. "I would have thought you to be...less pleasant. Why...?"

"Why am I not like my brother in being full of anger? I knew my clan better than he did. I regret that they were killed, don't get me wrong. But somethings are for the best. Now, introductions. I am Uchiha Itachi, the heir of the Uchiha clan. My likes include spending time with my brother, when he isn't so broody he won't let anyone in, my remaining family, and my village. I would be willing to give anything for it. My dislikes are traitors, people that feel that they are strongest because of something they are born with, and people who would give anything for more power, no matter the cost." Naruto briefly wondered if that would include him. "Power should only be attained to protect those around you. I'm sure each of you has felt that need right? To protect those close to you." Naruto thought of his mom, Remi his sister, but neither Dota nor Lilim had anyone to protect. They weren't even there to protect Naruto, only to guide him. "My dreams for the future is to restore a better Uchiha clan to a position of honor that it will be worthy of. I am going to inform you of something now. As you have noticed, this team has four genin. I requested this of the Hokage. The purpose behind it, I am tired of teams going out and dying because there was no one out there to heal them. I intent to train one of you to be a medic, the strongest you can possible be."

Remi raised his hand. "Excuse me but aren't medics non-combatants? I can attest that everyone here can fight."

This made Itachi laugh. "How would you like to say those same words to Senju Tsunade? She is the strongest woman on earth as well as the best medic." Remi paled at that thought. "I thought so. Now, knowing this, would you still like to go forward? I haven't decided yet just who it will be so any of you could be the team's medic."

"I'm not afraid of dying," Naruto replied. "It would be sad if I was afraid to learn something like where is the best point to save someone, as well as the best way to kill them."

"I went through a lot to become a genin," Dota lied. "I'm not backing out now."

"I don't have a speech," Lilim told him. "I will go forward as well."

"...Troublesome," Remi muttered. "Can't do it if one of us is missing, so I'm in."

"Good," Itachi said in response. "Then you are all officially genin."

"...Nani? You mean we weren't," Naruto asked.

"Correct. You see, the academy just makes sure that you know the basics. It is the instructors, thats me, who decides that you actually become one. Now, I know you all know the basics and are ready for the physical part. But what about the mental? It was a tough question, go forward and become a medic or stay and wait. As ninja, you will receive missions with similar stipulations. Not enough information, incorrect information, so forth. All that you truly know that the job needs done. When this happens, do you go or stay?"

All four of them nodded in understanding. "You go," they told him.

"Right. Now that it is not longer in question about it being a waste of time, I want you to introduce yourselves."

"Well, I will go first then," Remi told him. "Yuuhi Remi. My likes include gambling and cards. My attacks, unlike my sister who focuses on genjutsu, is rather simple in theory." He took a coin from his pocket. "I charge something up with chakra and blow it up. My hero was Deidara of Iwa before he went rogue not that long ago. My dislikes are those that make fun of my accent, mon ami. My dream for the future is to find a nice la femme and retire in one piece." The coin began to glow and he flipped into the air for it to explode harmlessly. "Which will be a miracle."

Naruto chuckled. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, one of the last of the Uzumaki clan from the Land of Whirlpools. My likes are my friends and family. My strength plays around fire and my mom showed me I am also great with wind, comes from her. Uh, I really don't have a hero. None alive at least. I do have a person, I guess you could say, that I owe a lot to, things that can't be repaid. My dislikes are the guilty and sinful."

"...The sinful? Naruto, that would include most of Konoha."

"No, it isn't 'thou shalt not kill', if you look, it is 'thou shalt not commit murder'. Anyway, that isn't why we are talking. I meant murderers, rapist, those that truly deserve to die. Like Orochimaru, if I ever find him I shall help him atone for his sins."

"You never struck me as religious," Itachi replied, making him laugh.

_'If only he knew.'_ Shaking his head a little, he said, "Not religious, just that it is a pretty good book on how you should live, a way that makes sense. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, dislikes. Guilty and sinful... And those that make fun of Tora and my clothing. My dreams for the future... That is very hard to explain so I won't. Suffice it to say that I have one is all."

"...Alright, I can appreciate secrets. Feathers, your turn."

"My name is Tenchi Dota. My likes are those that will do what is right over what is easy. My strength lies in this." She held up her rose again. She brought her hand down and it changed into a thorned whip, throwing flower petals everywhere.

Itachi nearly fell off the railing when he saw her do that. "You are a Senju!?"

"No," Dota told him. "I have heard of them and might be related, distantly, but am not a Senju. I was found wondering around at the foothills of the Kumo mountain range when I was very young. All anyone really knew about me was my last name being Tenchi, Heaven and Earth. You can see why, right?"

"It is kind of obvious."

"Yup. Anyway, I'm guessing my clan grew wings from living very high up. As for this, this is a flower, not a tree. To compare me to a Senju would be to...well, compare a flower to a tree, vastly different. My dislikes are those that take the easy over the right. And I can't really say I have a dream beyond to live life right."

Itachi nodded before motioning to Lilim. "Gouda Lilim, Hell's fire. My strength lies in...getting close to where a man really shouldn't." She licked her lips. "I like whips, chains, black leather, fire," she glanced over at Naruto, "and other things. I dislike anyone that doesn't want to have fun. And it doesn't matter if it is the kind in or out of the bedroom. My dream..." She shrugged, "To enjoy life as it gives it to me. Something wrong, sensei?"

Itachi removed the grimace from his face. _'She is that age so I should have expected it.' _"Just thinking about how much you remind me of a jonin I know, Mitarashi Anko. Except for the wings, you could be her clone."

"Really," Lilim asked excitedly. "Can you introduce us!?" Itachi shivered at the thought of Lilim becoming like the special jonin. But when he thought about her dressing like her, he realized she would reveal less then.

"What did I walk into," he asked the heavens. Three of the members knew he was looking the wrong way. "Okay, today, we are going to do exercises designed to determine where your strengths lie in. I want you over in training ground twelve in a half hour." Lilim and Dota flew off while Remi started roof jumping. "Something wrong Naruto?"

"Just wondering. If you were to meet the person who did it, what would you do to him?"

"...I can't say." Out of gratitude, Itachi thought he might shake his hand. Out of love for his family, he thought he might try to kill him. If he could, that scared him. He knew his father as well as every other member that died that night went down fighting and still they were slaughtered. "Anything else?"

"Yes, how were the Senju able to control wood and Dota flowers?"

"That is easy. Each person has an elemental affinity. Some might have two, though these people are rare. But some clans are born with two that mix."

"A Kekkei Genkai," Naruto realized. "So the Senju and Dota have...?"

"Earth and water while it allows them to mix. If another person from outside the clan with both were to try it, they would find they cannot. There is more to it then to just have the affinities."

"So just because I can work fire and wind, doesn't mean it would become something cool like that."

"Maybe, maybe not. I am saying it would not become something like a Kekkei Genkai. There is something in their DNA that everyone else lacks."

"...I understand." He turned around and walked to Tora. His mom, ever since she found he controlled wind as well as fire, refused to leave him be until he controlled it. He still thanked Kami for the person that made the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to this day. It was his mother's favorite jutsu and was what helped her become a strong fighter in the first place. He still couldn't make as many clones as she could. As he walked, he created a ball of fire around his right hand and a ball of wind around the other. Looking at the two of them, he stopped. Finally, his curiosity got to him and he clapped his hands together, _forcing_ them to mix. _KABOOOOM!!!_ Itachi, having turned around to leave, felt something hit his back and was thrown from the rooftop. He hit the ground first, followed by what hit him. He tried to move but his back hurt from every bone in it popping at least twice. Looking over his shoulder, he saw what hit him was a still smoking Naruto. He coughed, exhaling black smoke. "DAMN!"

Itachi dropped his head to the ground. "Medic."

Naruto got off him and rolled him on his back, resetting his spine with a long series of pops. "...I found something cool, sensei."

"Naruto, you better hope I die from this because I am going to kill you when I can move again."

"Naruto," Mizuki yelled as he ran out the building. "What happened!?"

"Uh...a misfired jutsu."

"YOU DID IT!? YOU SCARED OVER A DOZEN CLASSES HALF TO DEATH!"

"At least it was small," Naruto told them. "Otherwise I would have lost my hands. Does this mean training today is canceled?"

"I swear to Kami, I will kill you for this," they heard Itachi tell them.

—oo000oo—

"Poison Ivy, in position."

"Bat-woman, in position."

"Joker, ready."

"Firefly, set. Next time, we choose the code names, Weasel."

They all heard Itachi chuckle. "Where is the target?"

"Three meters to my right, twelve meters in front, eight meters down," Bat-woman informed him.

"All eyes on the target?"

"Hai," came four replies.

"Move in!" Itachi heard several things the next few moment. The roar of a tiger. A couple explosions. The snaps of two different whips. And a chain being spun around to throw.

"Target has ambushed us," Joker yelled into the speaker. "Requesting assistance, requesting assistance!"

"Damn it, Tora," Itachi heard from Naruto. "You know the rules!" Itachi stepped out of the way while Tora, the tiger, went running by with Naruto hanging onto his back with his chain in his mouth. "If you would have just let me give you a bath willingly, Kaa-san wouldn't have hired us to give you one!" The tiger growled in response before coming to a dead stop, throwing Naruto off him, and started running again. "Target has escaped. Poison Ivy, intercept him!"

"Roger." Dota flew after Tora and when she caught up to him, touched the grass. Ivies, vines, and several other grass plants tripped the cat and began to tie him up. "I have the target for the moment, Firefly, but he will soon break free."

"Be right there." Naruto ran over to her and hog tied Tora with his chain. "Target captured, Weasel."

"Injuries?"

"Damn cat batted me into a tree," Joker said before coming into view. Remi was holding his side. "Hits like a hammer."

"Twisted my wing," Lilim said as she walked in. She tightened her grip on her whip a little. "I swear I should give that cat a very special lesson."

"Well, now that we captured him, we have to go give him the bath." Itachi shook his head. "I don't understand though, tigers love to swim."

"He hates the soap," Naruto told him. "Alright, all at once. Heave." They pulled the struggling tiger to a river and got him in the water. Naruto the had his chain sink into the ground and wrap around Tora's legs to keep him in place without drowning him. "I got it from here." He took out the bottle of shampoo and set it on the river bank. "I'm not very good with water but good enough for this." After several handsigns, the water came to life, rose up, and came down on the tiger, soaking his fur. The mangy looking tiger shook himself from head to tail before glaring at Naruto. "Don't give me that, it is your fault." He began to scrub the shampoo in and when all of the gray and black fur was covered in the lather, he let it sit. Soon enough, all of the fleas had been killed and Naruto rinsed him off. "Even got rid of the smell," he said happily. "Now was that so bad?" Tora nodded it was. He got right next to Naruto before shaking the water off his body, covering him in water as well. "Very funny." Tora shook his head no. "It wasn't funny?" The cat walked away...before turning around and pouncing on Naruto, dropping him into the river. Tora walked out practically laughing while Naruto jumped out of the water. "COLD! I'll kill that cat!"

"I doubt that," Itachi stated. "Once you two dry off, we'll go get our next mission." Naruto growled at Tora while, with a snap of his fingers, fire flowed around him and dried his clothes off. Tora groaned and Naruto smiled. "You want me to dry you off as well? Alright." Three handsigns later, he tossed his hand in a fan like motion and said, "Daitoppa!" His fur was pulled back and the water pulled off. Only to have it puff out, making him look like a fur ball and Naruto nearly burst his sides from laughing. Feeling sorry for the cat, Dota went over and brushed his fur back down.

—oo000oo—

Once back at the mission briefing room, Itachi finished filing some paper work and took his team in for their next one. "Hokage-sama," he said with a bow. "I have put in the forms and chosen the one it will be."

"Good, which of them is it?"

"Dota seems the most inclined to healing. So, I will begin her training on that right away during our next mission."

Iruka looked over the papers on Team Nine. "Ah, you requested a lower C. I agree, they should be able to handle it."

"I have an easy one, an escort. It'll get them out of the village for a bit as well as run off some of their energy," Sarutobi pulled out a mission scroll. "Iruka, can you get Tazuna in here?"

"Right away." The chunin walked from the room and came back in a few minutes later. "This is the team escorting you there."

A drunkard with a beer belly, graying hair, and a saki jug at his lips walked in. He looked at them and frowned. "I wanted ninja, not a bunch of brats wanting to be a punk band or something. The tiger looks like a better ninja than them."

_'Hmm. Light liar,'_ Naruto thought, judging him. "What are you doing that you would need more than ninja trained 'brats'? There something you haven't told us?"

"Che, I'm the master bridge builder, Tazuna. I just finished getting supplies to finish my bridge shipped to Wave and now I want you to protect me and them."

"Ah, thieves. Well..." There was a rustle as the chain began to move. It grabbed the bottle from him and brought it over to Naruto. He took a sniff of it. "We aren't going today, thats for sure."

"And why is that!?"

"Because you are drunk on the cheapest, vilest saki in the country," Naruto told him with a frown. He tossed the bottle to Itachi to inspect. "If we go now, you will react slower if we need you to. Which will likely end up with your death or the death of one of us."

Itachi took a taste and spit it out. "Poor quality. And I taste rust from the vats. Wouldn't be surprised if you were suffering from food poisoning right now."

"I'll have you know I have never felt better!" Dota walked over to him and looked him up and down. "What are you looking at?"

"Looking for this," she replied before tapping him over the stomach slightly hard. His stomach groaned, churned, and made his face go white. He rushed to the nearest bathroom and came back after throwing up the alcohol. "Still want to continue?"

"Tomorrow," he agreed in a strained voice.

—oo000oo—

The next day, the six of them started walking from the gate to Wave. From atop of Tora, Naruto relaxed and began to nod off from the rocking. Remi saw this and threw a rock at him. Naruto raised a hand and caught it without waking. It was calm and boring for several minutes until suddenly Naruto snapped his eyes open. "...We are being watched."

"How can you tell," Remi asked.

"Intuition." Actually, it was him sensing the guilty. He looked around and found them ahead of him. "May I, Itachi-sensei?"

"No, we might have just crossed their path and they are hiding."

"When they act then." They walked by the puddle they hid in and they did nothing. "Hmm, I could have sworn they were going to try something."

"You're just para..." Itachi began before a chain wrapped around him and cut him apart.

"One down," one of the two said as they rushed Naruto and the others.

"Two down," the other said, going for what looked the easiest target, Naruto. "Nice jacket." They wrapped the chain around his neck and pulled. Only for it to melt. Both went flying as Naruto got off, fire covering his body. It looked like his flesh melted off his bones. "A DEMON!"

The Ghostrider picked up the second one. _**"...Nice jacket,"**_he said, looking him over. _**"No wonder you wanted mine." **_ He threw him into the other and pulled his chain from his chest.

"Please," the older brother begged, "have mercy."

"_**Sorry, all out of mercy." **_He started spinning his chain around, catching it on fire. A crack like a whip was heard when it hit them, drawing blood and burning flesh. Naruto was about to go for another when someone grabbed the chain end. **_"Itachi-sensei, let go."_**

"Release the fire, Naruto. I know you are in there."

"_**You are right about that, I am in here."**_ With another crack from the chain being pulled taunt, the fire on the weapon died and Itachi did let it go. The chain wrapped around his arm while Naruto looked at Itachi. He then flung his arm out and the chain end shot from it. The two were grabbed, thrown against a tree, and tied up. _**"Move and the fire returns,"**_ Naruto warned them.

Itachi looked at the two terrified nuke nins. "The Demon brothers of Mist. Strange seeing you here and attacking us. Willing to answer a few questions?" They insisted they were as long as he kept that thing from them. "Let's start with why you attacked us."

They told everything, right down to what they had to eat last night and even when they last took a bath. And it got worst when Naruto glanced over at them, his fist clenched from wanting to do something but unable to. One even admitting to cheating in the genin exam. "So Gatou wants him dead, huh?"

"Yes, he stands to lose a lot of money if the bridge is finished," the younger brother told him. "He hired our boss, Momichi Zabuza to take care of him."

"Ah, the famous Demon of the Mist," he said, smirking when he mentioned 'demon' and they flinched. "Who else does he have working for him besides you two?"

"Just Haku," the older said, his head turning to watch Naruto who was pacing and his fire turning an angry red.

"Who is 'Haku'?"

"A boy, street urchin before he met Zabuza. He is skilled enough to be a hunter ninja and would have been one if he had become a ninja as well."

"But he isn't?"

"Couldn't kill his emotions for it."

"And what does he do?"

"He controls ice," the older brother told him. "A bloodline."

Itachi turned from them and walked over to his team. He was still disturbed by this side and ability of Naruto but he had to worry about that later. "This mission is now an A ranking one. We have no choice but to...Naruto, where are you going?"

"_**Wave."**_

"You can't go to Wave," Itachi told him.

The Ghostrider rounded on him and stared him in the eyes with his cold, empty ones. _**"You heard them. If he dies, Gatou wins and a country is all but destroyed. You would let that happen?"**_

"He lied."

"_**For a good reason."**_

"You could die."

"_**I always could die, this mission or some other, I will lose my life."**_

"It isn't our fight!"

"_**When is it ever?"**_

"I am ordering you as your commander not to go."

Naruto took his headband off. _**"As long as you are my commander, you can. But I can always resign."**_

Itachi was silent for several minutes, just staring at him and the headband. "You would risk becoming a missing ninja to do this? Knowing the risk? Knowing you get nothing for it?"

"_**Nothing but a clear conscious,"**_ Naruto confirmed.

"...Keep it. Well, you three, what is your opinion? Go back or forward?"

"Can't leave Naruto alone," Dota said, acting shaken by what she saw. "...I mean, he is going to need help to...regrow his skin once this is done."

Remi gulped and said, "I am with you sensei, whatever you decide."

"Forward," Lilim said excitedly. "I want to know more about this ability."

Itachi nodded. "Speaking of which, what is it and where did you get it?"

Naruto looked at him for a moment before he finished securing his bags. _**"A gift...or a curse, however you want to see it. And as for where, who do you think?"**_ Itachi nodded, assuming the Kyuubi.

"Is it safe?"

"_**Are you dead?"**_

"No."

"_**Then it is." **_Naruto looked over at the still cowering Tazuna. Sighing, the fires turned blue before fading from his body, returning it to normal. Naruto rotated his neck, popping it "Better?"

"What are you?"

"Hell's bounty hunter."

"I'm being serious!"

"What do you want me to say then? The only explanation I can give you is classified." He climbed back up onto Tora. "Let's go." With the flick of his wrist, his chain returned to his chest, dropping the two to the ground. "If I ever see you again, I will send you to hell. I am sure there are those waiting for you."

—oo000oo—

Naruto liked it quiet but this was too much. Aside from Dota and Lilim, no one said a word to him. He understood why but he didn't like it. But he was the one that decided they needed to know about him having it. As they walked through the mist, Naruto could feel the tingling again. "Someone is..."

"Out there," Itachi finished. "I know. Get ready for an attack."

"I will handle him," Naruto told them as he looked at his hand. He hadn't wanted it to but the fire was already forming under the glove. _'This one of them you wanted me to meet, boss?'_

"Naruto, this one will be..."

"Stronger than the two from before, I know. None the less, I will fight him first."

"And if you can't beat him?"

"Then the best fighter here should hold back until I can't continue so you can finished him in his weakened state." He drew his kama and looked around in the mist. "I can feel him... It is _making me very excited."_ He pulled his boots up, pressed them against Tora's back, and jumped off. His chain came to his hand and he brought it down in a swing, causing the ground to break for several yards far passed where it ended. A scared white rabbit went running off in the forest. _"Kawarimi!"_ Behind him, a sword flew through the air, spinning to take his head off. Tora tackled Naruto to the ground to avoid it. Naruto jumped back to his feet in time to see a man step onto the sword, making him grin. The burning about covered his body now. This was him, Zabuza.

"So, you were the ones that defeated the Demon Brothers."

"They hardly deserved the title," Lilim told him, her leather whip in hand. She flew up to a branch followed by Dota to keep a better eye on him.

"Very interesting abilities," Zabuza said, smiling at them. "Definitely not one from Konoha, meaning you are wonders like me."

"_Enough,"_ Naruto growled. _"We fight here and now."_

"Eager to die?"

"_Scared of a brat?"_ Zabuza growled, grabbed his sword, and appeared on the ground, not far from Naruto. _"Let's ride."_ Flames covered his skin and he once again became the Ghostrider. He pointed at Zabuza and said, _**"You...guilty."**_

"...Interesting. I guess you are your own night light. Tell me, how many have you killed?"

"_**Seven jonin."**_ That shocked everyone there. All the Jonin knew he was the one that killed Aoi. While Itachi was now certain he had something to do with the other five traitors that were found with no life in their unharmed bodies. But who was the sixth? **_"One of the being a ninja that came to Konoha in the name of peace to steal the Byakugan."_**

Zabuza let out a low whistle while he swung his sword up on his shoulder. "That is more impressive a record than I got by your age. I only killed a whole class of kids about to become a ninja when I had no training myself. You had no training and you killed seven jonin? Damn. Maybe you are worth my time." He charged at him, his sword coming off his shoulder in a overhead chop. Itachi didn't believe Naruto could save himself from this, despite his claims, and tried to stop the blade. But it wasn't needed. Naruto's Kama blade, glowing green from wind chakra, had intercepted it. While his fire covered chain wrapped around his waist. Naruto heaved, pulled Zabuza off his feet and began to swing him around. The 'Demon' of the Mist collided with several trees before being pinned against another tree. He roared in pain when Naruto threw his scythe and it sunk into his shoulder. Zabuza looked at it to see it still had wind around it while the chain reached up and wrapped around the blade. _KABOOM!_

"_**Damn water clone,"**_ Naruto growled, looking around. He stopped when he found where Zabuza was now, out on the water. He pulled his chain and both weapons returned to his hand. **_"YOU'RE TICKING ME OFF!"_**

"You are a fire user, brat. You know what that means? Water is your weakness!" The mist condensed into a water dragon that shot at him.

Naruto jumped out of the way while placing his weapons on his back. _**"Don't forget, fire boils water away!"**_ He did a few handsigns and a stream of fire shot from his mouth, turning the dragon into steam.

—oo000oo—

"How...How can he be doing these thing," Remi asked, scared out of his mind. All of his skill didn't matter anything to him right now. All he knew was that Naruto turned into some kind of demon and was fighting someone he shouldn't be able to.

"...I once heard of a legend," Itachi told him. "About a man that was touched by the purest evil. At night and in the presence of evil, he would become a figure covered in flames, seeking retribution for what they had done."

"How does that explain anything!?"

"Naruto was born the same day the Kyuubi attacked. He and his mother were nearly crushed by it."

Remi was silent for several moments when he remembered something. "But it is still day."

"It is, isn't it?" He decided it must be that the Kyuubi is inside him instead of just touching him.

—oo000oo—

Naruto had the air over the water condense and threw a ball of fire into it. The explosion evaporated a good deal of the lake and blew Zabuza off it. _**"Time to die,"**_ Naruto said, appearing next to him, his blade raised into the air. As he brought it down, a mirror made of ice blocked it. He spun around and looked at the source. A boy wearing a hunter's mask stood there, several shenbons in his hand.

"You will not touch Zabuza-sama!"

Naruto looked from him to the mirror and Zabuza. Finally, he pointed at Haku. _**"You...innocent."**_ The fire around the chain died and he started swinging above his head. He threw it, trying to catch him by his feet but Haku was too fast. _**"Only seven pieces of silver to pay the devil to enter hell. Stick around and you will find out you have it."**_

"I refuse to leave."

"_**...Dota, Lilim, restrain him."**_ From out of the mist, two whips came and wrapped around Haku, pulling him from his feet in surprise. Naruto turned back to Zabuza who was just now getting back up. Naruto grabbed him by his shirt collar and forced him to lock his gaze with Naruto's. **_"Look into my eyes. Your soul is stained with the blood of the innocent. Feel their pain."_** For the next several seconds, two screams were heard there in the mist, Zabuza's and Haku's. When Naruto dropped the lifeless body to the ground, he turned around and headed to Tora, while the mist faded. "Let him go."

When he could move again, Haku ran over to him and shook his shoulder. "Zabuza-sama! Wake up!" He pressed his cheek to his lips and found he was still breathing. "Please get up! You, what did you do to him!?"

"_**I turned his sins against. Now he knows just what all he had done in this world." **_Naruto got on Tora, a second urge already gripping him. Tora turned into a fiery skeleton as well. He kicked his flanks and ran off, vanishing into the mist.

—oo000oo—

Zabuza fell on burning stones and looked around. To say it was hot wouldn't be right. It was like being inside a volcano! He looked around and saw thousands of demons and humans, usually with the first torturing the second. He reached for his sword and found it gone. "Fucking hell."

"You have no idea how right you are," a cold voice said from the shadows. Zabuza turned around and saw an old man in a suit and one hot looking cane. "I'm Mephistopheles, often referred to as the devil."

"...Always knew I would come here."

"Only for the moment, there is no fair way to judge a man like you Zabuza. That is why I had my Rider hunt you out."

"The brat? He works for you?"

"That is right. Part time only of course, he is still just a kid."

Zabuza laughed at that. "I hardly expected you to be one to obey the laws!"

"This is only a position," Mephistopheles told him. "Just like Kami is only a position, it is something that needs filled. And it has its own rules."

"I see. So, lets start the fun, shall we?"

"Oh, I don't think so."

"You aren't going to have me join them? Aren't the inner circles reserved for men like me?"

"Traitors and mutineers. But like I said, no fair way to judge a man like you. Instead, I will wait until my Rider sends us his second catch. Someone you are very familiar with."

"HAKU!?"

"No, not the boy. Gatou."

"That pig? Why him?"

Mephistopheles began to pace a little. "I am a business man, Zabuza. I make deals, that is what I do. And people like Gatou also make deals. The difference is I keep my end of the bargain."

"He cheated you," Zabuza realized.

Mephistopheles stopped walking and looked at him. "No one cheats me and gets away with it. His time has been forfeited, and the Ghostrider will see to the collecting. When he gets here, you will betray him, like he was going to betray you."

"How?"

Mephistopheles grinned, "By being the one that tortures him for a very long time. And while he is feeling it, time for him will slow. A minute to you will seem a thousand years."

Zabuza swallowed and thought about it. But he realized, he really couldn't say no. "What do I get out of this?" Mephistopheles smiled once again.

—oo000oo—

The roar was heard all though Gatou's base. As he shook like the cowered he now realized himself to be, his men, thugs, and anyone else that could carry a weapon was trying to stop that thing. And he knew exactly why it was here. The metal door began to glow hot red before melting. A skeleton tiger jumped though and began attacking the men there while a humanoid demon was behind it. It flicked its hand, throwing off melted metal from his glove. He pointed at Gatou. _**"You... I have come for your contract."**_

"But I still have five years!"

"_**That was before you told my boss to shove it out his ass. By the way, he has a very special way for me to retrieve your contract. He wants me to shove it out your ass."**_ He caught the samurai that tried to attack him from the side by his throat. His wrapped his fire chain around his fist and punched him in the face. The burns were so bad, some of his face was missing. As he cried for help, Naruto wrapped the chain around him and burnt him to cinders in moments. Gatou watched scared stiff while the two tore apart those that remained to defend him.

Tora Bit into his shoulder and dragged him in front of Naruto. Naruto removed a glove to reveal the bones that made up his hand. He then placed his hand over his forehead, burning a scar there shaped like it. Gatou suddenly found it hard to breath, as if something had formed under his lungs. _**"Rest in pieces." **_Naruto raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The air in Gatou's lungs exploded, blowing the scroll inside downwards but leaving him alive long enough to feel the pain. Naruto picked up the scroll and it began to burn, sending him to hell.

—oo000oo—

Gatou hit the stone hard. As he sat up, he realized that around two hundred men were there with him. Some of which he even recognized as the men he watched die. "Hello, Gatou," he heard from Zabuza. "I have a great time planned for us."

—oo000oo—

Naruto and Tora wandered over to Tazuna's home late that evening, smelling of ash and blood. "Another one of those nights," he said with a sigh. He took a scroll from the saddle bags and unrolled it. With a wipe of his blood, he unsealed another set of his current clothing. He stopped at a river, took off his clothes, and washed away the smell and blood. When he was done, he sealed the clothing away and put on the clean clothes. When he got there, he found everyone on edge. "Heya."

Itachi sighed in relief. "Thank Kami, if anything happened to you, your mother would have killed me."

"If you were lucky," Naruto told him. "I just needed to wash was all. But I came across this suit wearing, balding, midget pedophile while I was. Tried to have these two samurai thugs hold me down."

Tazuna looked up at the mention of a 'suit wearing, balding, midget'. "Did he have square glasses, and did one of the samurai look like a clown while the other wore an eye patch?"

"Yup. They paid for it big time." The sound of a plate hitting the floor came from behind Naruto. He turned around and saw a boy, standing there in shock. Naruto recognized him from the sins of the two. He had given them the Penance Stare and saw what they did to his father. "He was avenged. All three of them are finding their just rewards in hell."

He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't. Finally he decided on something and said, "Did you make it hurt?"

Naruto got a saddened look on his face. He understood why he felt like that but it wasn't good for the soul, so to say. "I won't tell you."

"They killed my father!"

"I know. But if you truly wanted their lasted moments of life to be filled with ungodly pain, you are no better than they are."

"But..."

"Be satisfied that Kami has punished them this night by sending me after them. Know your father is not where they are. And do something with your life worth of calling yourself his son."

"...But I've hated them for so long..."

Itachi nodded. "My brother hates someone like you do. With all his being, he wishes to find the one that killed most of my family. I pray he never find him. The truth is, hate will only feed your strive while it is hot. Eventually, when it dies, you will look to find something else to hate. In the end, all that happens is you hurt those around you. Hate only ever leads to suffering."

Inari began to tear up. "My...my papa once said something like that." He knelt down and cried it out, being held by his mother.

Naruto walked over to Itachi. "I killed him and his men, I know what they did, and I have to live with it. A curse that I can never loose, for a couple of reasons. But seeing him stop hating right now, to live again, that is the gift I spoke of, Itachi-sensei," he whispered.

"I may have made a mistake in thinking you using that was wrong. But I will have to tell the Hokage."

"...No one else. I would tell Kaa-san anything. Anything but this, she already fears much about the Kyuubi."

"No Naruto, eventually she will find out anyway. You should tell her when we get back."

"...Hai, sensei. What became of Haku?"

"He took Zabuza and left, crying."

—oo000oo—

Haku looked over Zabuza's body, almost thinking he was dead as well. He wished he was. In the three days since it happened, he had taken care of his master. But nothing he did returned life to him. He swore he would make 'Naruto' pay for this. No matter the price, he would kill him.

He stood up, no longer able to watch over him. He headed for the door and was about to go and try to kill him. He knew he wouldn't win but at least then, he would be with Zabuza. "Hold it," a cold voice said from behind him. Haku turned around to see Zabuza struggling to his feet. "You are not going after him." He began to cough. As he was bent over, what looked like ash fell from his eyes. When he straightened, they had returned to normal.

Haku ran at him and hugged him, nearly knocking him over. "Zabuza-sama! I thought you were dead!"

"I was," he replied. "Uzumaki Naruto, the one that did this, works for the devil. No mortal can face him and win."

"I don't care anymore, you are back. I swear, I will kill my emotions to become strong enough to..."

"No," Zabuza told him. "You can't kill emotions, Haku. They are what makes us human."

Haku looked him in the eyes. "What happened to you?"

"A price was paid. The devil kept my evil side while I came back. When I die again, my sides are rejoined and I go to heaven if I am stronger or hell if that side is stronger."

"...Then I will make sure this side is the stronger," Haku said, hugging him. "Does this mean we have to stop being ninja?"

"There is a difference being ninja and being evil, Haku. Look at yourself. No, if we want to, we still can. Come on, I heard there is a priestess in the Land of Demons that is in need of the strongest guards in the lands. Let's go...son." He picked up his zanbatou as if he didn't say that but they both knew he did.

Haku smiled, looked at his Hunter mask, and tossed it away. "Sure thing, dad!"

—oo000oo—

Author's notes: Maybe I will go back to them, maybe I won't. You know, you just don't say something like to the devil when he has leverage. It will end bad, like it did for Gatou. Zabuza becoming a demon of hell...why not. But I had to kill Zabuza. I had never done that in one of my fics. And it needed to be done in all truth. The Ghostrider goes after evil so it was a given. Doesn't mean he had to stay dead. Twenty fricken pages, damn.

Let's Ride!


End file.
